Scarlet Oak

Quercus coccinea (Fagaceae) is a deciduous tree native to eastern North America from Maine to Minnesota and south to Alabama. It grows 70 to 80 feet tall with an open, rounded crown. The deeply lobed leaves (with C-shaped sinuses nearly to the midrib) turn brilliant scarlet in autumn, the most intense red of any oak species.

Scarlet oak grows in full sun on well-drained, acidic soil. It prefers sandy or loamy substrates and does not tolerate heavy clay or alkaline conditions. The species has a deep taproot that makes transplanting difficult. Fall color is its primary ornamental asset and the reason for its specific epithet ("coccinea" = scarlet). Hardy in Zones 4a to 8b.