This tree will require a lot of space and will likely live anywhere from 150 to 500 years.
Red oaks are great trees to plant if you live in the American Northeast.
Besides being aesthetically pleasing and a superb shade tree, the red oak is invaluable ecologically.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
It is a carefree tree as long as it stays healthy and is given a good start.
Oaks need full sun to part sun to thrive; giving anything less will cause some issues.
Never layer more than an inch of soil over its roots.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
All roots need room, but this is especially important for oaks.
As the climate changes and warms, their zones are shifting northward.
They are presently listed as hardy inUSDA Zone 4-8.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Fertilizer
Your oak should not need any supplemental fertilizer.
Remove dead, diseased, or damaged branches using sterilized pruning tools.
Dead branches are brittle.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Diseased and damaged branches have blemishes, wounds, discoloration, or scars.
you’re able to prune away up to 1/3 of the old wood in a season.
Sterilize your tools in between cuts.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Remove limbs that crisscross other limbs and cut off shoots that grow vertically straight up or downward.
Prune any branches that grow at less than a 30-degree angle to the tree trunk.
Propagating a Red Oak
Growing an oak from acornsis a common method of propagation.
Overwintering
Red oaks are cold-hardy trees that tolerate freezing temperatures in their growing zones.
It often causes a midsummer leaf drop.
A young tree can be treated with fungicide.
Bacterial leaf scorch is another common occurrence among red oak trees.
Summer droughts are often the cause.
Insects spread this bacteria.
It’s best to remove the infected tree to prevent the spread of the deadly bacteria.
Remove the branches that develop these growths when you notice them using sterilized pruning tools.
Oak wiltis a certain death sentence for the tree.
Common pests that like these trees are leafhoppers or caterpillars.
Birds will feed on those insects to control them.
Recovery is not possible; removal is recommended.
This fungus has gradually spread to more than 20 states.
To correct this, increase the soil acidity by adding sulfur.
verify to do a soil test to determine the required amount and frequency of applications.
Powdery White Leaves
Leaves with a powdery white appearance likely have powdery mildew, a fungal infection.
Leaves may also look malformed, drop, or shrivel up.
Mature trees do not need treatment.
Red oaks are relatively fast-growing trees, adding at least 18 to 24 inches of height a year.
Some people consider the catkins in the spring and the large leaves and acorns in the fall messy.
Its a personal choice, weighing the excellent wildlife value of this native tree and aspects of seasonal untidiness.
Northern red oak branches have a spread of up to 60 feet.
Its roots reach up to 20 feet from its trunk.
Red oaks live up to 500 years but usually live about 300.
Quercus rubra (red oak) Fagaceae.
