Scarlet Oak is a magnificent native tree that commands attention in autumn, when its deeply lobed leaves transform from glossy summer green to brilliant scarlet. This large deciduous oak grows 50 to 70 feet tall with an open, rounded form, thriving across hardiness zones 4 through 9 and tolerating the lean, dry soils where many ornamental trees struggle. Native to southeastern Missouri, it's equally at home as a shade tree lining residential streets or anchoring a landscape where it can display its spectacular fall color without competition.
Full Sun
Moderate
4-9
840in H x 600in W
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Moderate
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The foliage shift from rich summer green to fiery scarlet is the signature feature that gives this oak its common name, and it performs this transformation reliably year after year. Unlike its close relative the pin oak, scarlet oak resists the chlorosis problems that plague trees in slightly alkaline soils, making it more adaptable across different regions. It's a genuinely low-maintenance tree once established, asking only for full sun and well-drained soil, then rewarding decades of virtually carefree growth.
Scarlet Oak is valued as both a shade tree and a street tree, providing substantial canopy coverage while its upright branching structure accommodates overhead utilities better than many oaks. The dense foliage and open crown make it effective for reducing summer heat around buildings and streets, while the autumn display draws admirers throughout the season.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Plant bare-root or container-grown scarlet oak in fall or early spring, positioning it in full sun where it will receive at least six hours of direct light daily. Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and two to three times as wide, backfilling with native soil amended with sand if your soil tends toward clay. Space mature trees 40 to 50 feet apart to accommodate their eventual width of 40 to 50 feet. Water deeply after planting and maintain even moisture for the first growing season.
Scarlet oak requires minimal pruning once established. Remove dead, damaged, or crossing branches in late winter while the tree is dormant, and thin lower branches as the tree matures if you want to develop a high canopy suitable for a street tree or shade tree role. Avoid heavy pruning; this oak develops its naturally attractive rounded form without aggressive shaping.
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“Quercus coccinea is native to the eastern United States, with a natural range extending through the southeastern regions where Missouri botanists have long studied and documented its growth habits. The species was formally described and classified within the broader oak genus, which carries a lineage reaching back to classical times when the Latin name Quercus itself was already in use. Its journey from wild forest populations to cultivated landscapes reflects the gradual appreciation of native trees as ornamental specimens worthy of deliberate placement in parks, residential properties, and streetscapes.”