Plant · GBIF taxon 2880967
Southern Red Oak
Quercus falcataAlso known as Spanish Oak, Three-Lobed Red Oak
Southern red oaks dominate dry, sandy uplands across the southeastern region, casting broad shade beneath variable leaves with bell-shaped bases. Their heavy crops of small, tannic acorns mature every two years, feeding turkeys, deer, and blue jays throughout winter. Deep taproots anchor these long-lived trees against severe storm winds while their thick, furrowed bark provides resilience against ground fires.
DeciduousTreeNative
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Sunlight
- Water
- Soil Minerals
Predators
- Oak Wilt Fungus
- Spongy Moth
- Acorn Weevils
ThreatsOak wilt, extreme drought, habitat fragmentation, invasive insects
HabitatsUpland oak-hickory forests, sandy ridges, well-drained bottomlands
Life span150–250 years
Classification
- OrderFagales
- FamilyFagaceae
- GenusQuercus
- SpeciesQuercus falcata
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Leaf shape observation: Look for variable leaves with 3 to 7 bristle-tipped lobes and a distinct bell-shaped base.
- Fall foliage spotting: Watch for dark copper-red leaves that cling to lower branches late into autumn.
- Bark identification: Examine the dark, deeply furrowed bark with orange-brown inner fissures.
Seed Disperser (c) Diliff, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Seed Disperser (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative no rights reserved · cc0
Close Relative (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
Close Relative James St. John / CC BY 2.0 · CC BY 2.0
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Found in Collections
Ecosystem chain
The Forest Floor
Southern Red Oak is found in this collection. Identify it in Fauna to fill this slot and continue your progress.
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