One of the noblest tree groups found around the world is the stately Oak. They form an essential part of our forests providing food for wildlife, lumber for furniture, barrels for bourbon and shade for our parks and homes. The most commonly planted in the northeast are Pin Oak (Quercus palustris), Northern Red Oak (Q. rubra) and Swamp White Oak (Q. bicolor) easily found in the trade, but there are other Oaks not as common but just as interesting and worth considering. They include:

Scarlet Oak (Q. coccinea) Grows 70’high x 50’wide, has beautiful  bronze/scarlet fall color, found generally growing on dry sandy soil, hardy zones 4-9

Swamp Chestnut Oak (Q. michauxii) Leathery textured softly lobed leaves, grows 60-70’ high, takes moist to occasionally wet soil, common in low areas, bronze-red fall color, zones 5-8

Chestnut Oak (Q. montana formerly prinus) Also known as Basket Oak, has sweet dark brown acorns that wildlife love, grows 60-70’ high, does well in dry rocky soil, zone 4-8

Shumard Oak (Q. shumardii) Also called Swamp Red Oak, found along streams in the wild but also very drought tolerant, pyramidal habit, russet-red in fall, zone 5-9