Plant
Scarlet Oak
Quercus coccineaScarlet oaks illuminate eastern North American ridgetops each autumn with fiery crimson foliage that often clings to branches well into early winter. Adapted to poor, drought-prone upland ground, they drive deep taproots into rocky soils where competing hardwoods struggle to thrive. Their bitter, tannin-dense acorns take two full growing seasons to mature, providing a critical winter food source for forest wildlife.
DeciduousHardwoodFall Foliage
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preySunlight, Water, Soil Nutrients
Predators
- Spongy Moth Caterpillars
- Two-lined Chestnut Borer
- Oak Wilt Fungus
ThreatsOak wilt disease, spongy moth outbreaks, and lack of periodic ground fire
HabitatsDry upland ridges, rocky slopes, and sandy open woodlands
Life span100–160 years
Classification
- OrderFagales
- FamilyFagaceae
- GenusQuercus
- SpeciesQuercus coccinea
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskHigh
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is high
- Acorns and leaves contain concentrated tannins that are toxic to dogs and horses if eaten.
- Why it is dangerous
- Gallotannins in raw acorns, buds, and young foliage cause gastrointestinal distress and kidney damage in horses, livestock, and dogs.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Recognize the tree by its deeply incised, bristle-tipped lobes and glossy, tightly scaled acorn caps.
- What to do
- Keep pastured livestock and household pets away from areas with dense acorn drops in autumn.
Responsible observation
- Leaf Examination: Look for deep, C-shaped sinuses that cut almost all the way to the central vein.
- Acorn Check: Notice the glossy acorn cap that covers roughly one-third to one-half of the nut.
- Seasonal Timing: Search ridgetops in late autumn to spot its vibrant, long-lasting scarlet foliage.
Seed Disperser (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Seed Predator (c) Diliff, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Pathogen (c) Jared Shorma, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Jared Shorma · cc-by
Close Relative no rights reserved · cc0
Close Relative (c) Sandy Wolkenberg, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Sandy Wolkenberg · cc-by
Keep collecting in Fauna
Found in Collections
Ecosystem chain
The Forest Floor
Scarlet Oak is found in this collection. Identify it in Fauna to fill this slot and continue your progress.
—/12
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?
Checking your Fauna account…Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.