Tree of the day: Quercus rubra, Red or northern red oak, Bridges Hall
Quercus rubra is a species of deciduous broadleaf flowering plants (in the Fagaceae or Beech family), native to eastern North America.
Quercus rubra is a species of deciduous broadleaf flowering plants (in the Fagaceae or Beech family), native to eastern North America. It is a large tree, growing to 20–40 metres, with a straight trunk and upward-angled branches, giving it a round-topped crown. Trees can live for 400 years.
Quercus rubra has large shiny or dark green leaves, with three to five lobes on each side and one at the end, all with pointed teeth. The leaves are larger and the lobes more numerous but less deeply divided than those of Quercus palustris. Quercus rubra is often planted in parks on account of its impressive display in autumn, when the leaves turn yellow, red and bronze.
Quercus rubra prefers moist, well-drained and slightly acidic soil. In optimal conditions, it grows quickly. It is an important species for hardwood production in North America. The wood is strong and used for flooring, veneer, interior trim, fence posts and furniture.
about this species
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This website is a virtual arboretum, created for interest, education and beauty. It exhibits some of the thousands of trees, of both native and exotic species, that grow in Whiteknights Park, the main campus of the University of Reading. Many of them have been planted since the university arrived in 1947, but some have been here since the 19th century or earlier, when Whiteknights was the gardens and parkland of large houses. More than a hundred of the trees are listed in The Tree Register, nine as British Isles champions (the largest or tallest of their species).
Please send any comments about this website to whiteknights-trees@reading.ac.uk.
The previous version of this website is here.
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank: Rupert Taylor, Owen Johnson, Alastair Culham, Jonathan Mitchley, Jordan Bilsborrow, Marcus Wheeler, Benoît Vannière, Miguel Teixeira and Claire Hawkins for tree identifications; Brian Hunt and Trevor Smith for testing routes and contributing text; Dylan Parkes, Martin Watts, Emilija Rudzinskaite, Brian and Trevor for collaboration on the centenary project; Dan Hodson for useful code examples; Studio Lift for website style; Brian, Trevor, Nathanaël van Twillert and Guy Raveh for comments and suggestions on website user experience; Benoît, Marcus, Steve George, Mark Wrightham, Brian, Trevor, the Friends of the University of Reading, and other friends for their encouragement during the development of the website; the University and its grounds staff for maintaining Whiteknights Park.