Tree Description:
A tall, straight oak of the bottomlands to 100 feet tall, with a trunk to 3 feet in diameter and even, regular branching that forms a broad round crown of glossy, dark green foliage.
Range/Site Description:
Fertile bottomlands and streamside terraces in East Texas.
Leaf:
Simple, alternate, 5" to 9" long, typically with 7 to 9 single-pointed lobes arranged more or less at right angles to the midrib, forming a "pagoda" shape.
Flower:
Male and female flowers borne in spring on the same tree, the male flowers on catkins up to 5" long, the female flowers inconspicuous, on a peduncle.
Fruit:
An acorn, taking two years to mature, about 0.5" long and as wide, hemispheric, enclosed one-third by the saucer-shaped acorn cup.
Bark:
Gray to black, breaking from the smooth young bark into scaly patches and then dark, rough ridges on older trees.
Wood:
A high-value timber tree, used for red oak lumber, furniture, tanning, and pulpwood.
Similar Species:
Southern red oak (Quercus falcata) has fewer lobes and gray-green leaf undersides.
Interesting Facts:
Several natural varieties or races of southern red oak are common in East Texas, but cherrybark oak has been elevated to species status.
