In the landscape
Shade tree · Specimen · Street tree · Lawn · Naturalized · Walkway · Butterfly · Edible
Data sources
Northern Red Oak
Quercus rubra · Tree
Northern Red Oak is a fast-growing tree, hardy in USDA zones 4-8, that matures to about 50–75 ft × 50–75 ft. It does best in full sun with low water needs in well-drained, moist and occasionally-dry soil. Expect yellow and green blooms in spring. It attracts butterflies, hummingbirds and moths, stands up well to black walnut and deer and drought.
- USDA zones
- 4-8
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Low
- Mature size
- 50–75 ft × 50–75 ft
- Spacing
- more than 60 ft
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maintenance
- Low
- Soil
- Well-drained, Moist, Occasionally-dry
- Foliage
- Silver, Green
- Bloom color
- Yellow, Green
- Bloom season
- Spring
- Attracts
- Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Moths, Pollinators, Small mammals, Songbirds
- Tough against
- Black walnut, Deer, Drought, Dry soil, Fire, Pollution
- Toxic to
- People, Horses
- Native to
- Eastern North America
Will it survive your winters?
We score Northern Red Oak’s freeze-trouble range against the real coldest nights your area has recorded.
Powered by ~35 years of daily lows from the nearest NOAA weather station. A risk read, not a guarantee — a sheltered spot or mature plant beats the odds.
More plants for your zone: Zone 4 · Zone 5 · Zone 6 · Zone 7 · Zone 8
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