Q: Northern Red Oak

A widespread hardwood in the northeastern United States and southern Canada, the Northern Red Oak tends to grow very straight and tall. It prefers to grow on slopes facing north or east, and its leaves develop a deep red color in the fall. Its acorns are a food source for mice, squirrels, and turkey, while rabbits and deer prefer to browse its foliage.

The Northern Red Oak has oblong leaves with regular, bristle-tipped lobes. Its bark develops wide ridges and shallow furrows, in a pattern sometimes compared to “ski tracks”.