FAST GROWING NATIVE TREE WITH OUTSTANDING FALL COLOR
FEATURES:
May Benefit & Attract: Jays, crows, turkeys, woodpeckers, ducks, quail, and songbirds
- Magnificent fall coloring gives this Oak a sophisticated look
- Dark green leaves turn a brilliant red in fall
- Acorns provide food to many species of wildlife
- Fast growing shade tree that provides a home to many different animals
- This bird-friendly native plant provides food and shelter for local and migrating birds and other wildlife
- All Audubon® branded trees and plants are grown 100% Neonic-free by Bower & Branch, making these plants safer for the birds and safer for the environment
- The National Audubon Society protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow
- Hand Selected, Fresh from the Grower
- Ships on our trucks because of the size of the tree - does not fit in a box
Growth Facts
- Hardiness Zone: 4-8
- Mature Height: 60-80' tall
- Mature Width: 50-60' wide
- Exposure: Full Sun
- Spacing: 50-60' apart
Audubon® Native Northern Red Oak
Bower & Branch Trees and Plants
Audubon® Plants for Birds: Quercus rubra (borealis)
Regular price
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FAST GROWING NATIVE TREE WITH OUTSTANDING FALL COLOR
FEATURES:
May Benefit & Attract: Jays, crows, turkeys, woodpeckers, ducks, quail, and songbirds
- Magnificent fall coloring gives this Oak a sophisticated look
- Dark green leaves turn a brilliant red in fall
- Acorns provide food to many species of wildlife
- Fast growing shade tree that provides a home to many different animals
- This bird-friendly native plant provides food and shelter for local and migrating birds and other wildlife
- All Audubon® branded trees and plants are grown 100% Neonic-free by Bower & Branch, making these plants safer for the birds and safer for the environment
- The National Audubon Society protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow
- Hand Selected, Fresh from the Grower
- Ships on our trucks because of the size of the tree - does not fit in a box
Growth Facts
- Hardiness Zone: 4-8
- Mature Height: 60-80' tall
- Mature Width: 50-60' wide
- Exposure: Full Sun
- Spacing: 50-60' apart
Why plant Audubon® Native Northern Red Oak?
Tough and adaptable, Northern Red Oak brings a bit of nature to the city. Urban birds need food too, and native Red Oak supplies it in the form of large, nutritious acorns and an assortment of protein-rich insects that are attracted to this tree. Of course, in rural areas, Red Oak attracts an even wider array of birds. Jays, crows, turkeys, woodpeckers, ducks, and quail make use of the acorns, while many, many songbirds relish the caterpillars and other small bugs that feed on oak leaves. Fast-growing and handsome in all seasons, it’s a people-pleaser, too!
Northern Red Oak is a native forest tree found in the East from New England to Oklahoma. Since pioneer days, its pink-toned wood has been used for furniture and flooring; as firewood it burns hotter than ash. But such talk does not belong on these pages! What we love here is the living tree, and Red Oak is one of the most majestic examples around. The largest in the country is a multi-trunked beauty 36 feet in circumference in Monroe, New York. It takes eight people holding hands to reach around it!
How to use Audubon® Native Northern Red Oak in the landscape?
If red is your favorite fall tree color, then this is the tree for you! The lush, glossy green leaves turn a bold red in the fall that lights up the sky. Its broad and pyramidal shape makes for wonderful shade. If red isn't your color, once you see this tree, it will be! This handsome native tree will definitely make a bold statement in your landscape.
Audubon® Native Plants & Trees
Audubon is devoted to protecting birds and the places they need, while Bower & Branch is devoted to the growth of true native trees and plants–no cultivars or hybrids. Together, we strive to unite communities in conservation and inspire individuals to cultivate a better world for birds starting in their own backyards, balconies, or patios. By guiding and recommending trees and plants truly native and beneficial to your region, we can really start to make a difference.
What is the definition of Native?
“In the United States, a native plant is defined as one that was naturally found in a particular area before European colonization. Native plants are the foundation of a region’s biodiversity, providing essential food sources and shelter for birds, especially those threatened by the changing climate. Since native plants are adapted to local precipitation and soil conditions, they generally require less upkeep, therefore helping the environment and saving you time, water, and money.” – The National Audubon Society
Learn how you can help birds in your home and community through Audubon’s Plants for Birds program.
Audubon® is a licensed and registered trademark of the National Audubon Society. All rights reserved.
Planting Zones
Hardiness Zone: 4-8
How To Plant Audubon® Native Northern Red Oak
Northern Red Oak is a fast growing shade tree. Yes, you read that right—an oak that’s fast growing! It turns out that not all oaks are created alike. It’s also easier to transplant than many oaks, though new nursery production methods are making all oaks more plantable. Red Oak prefers full sun, but tolerates some shade, at least for a while—as it does in the wild when it germinates on the forest floor. It’s a remarkably durable city tree, too, coping well with pollution and salt spray.
How To Water
Water twice weekly for the first 3-5 weeks; then water weekly for the remainder of the year until winter. When you water, water very slowly and very thoroughly. The water needs to reach to the bottom of the root ball and that takes time. Watering needs may be altered due to extreme weather conditions.
How To Fertilize
Incorporate Elements Starter Plant Food granular form into the soil when planting. If planting in spring or summer, start fertilizing late fall using Elements Starter Plant Food granular form on an annual basis each fall. Continue this for the first three years to get your plant well established as it gives your tree the nutrients it needs to produce lush new growth for the following spring.
How To Prune
Northern Red Oak does not require pruning!
How Does Shipping Work?
Bower & Branch Trees, the real BIG trees, don’t fit in a box! Our big trees, sizes XL and bigger, require expert delivery and care, that means our extra-large trees are shipped on Bower & Branch trucks. We are the only ones who know how to ship our big and bigger trees and plants with tender loving care. We deliver your trees and plants directly to you. Ask Bower & Branch about planting services – we'd be happy to assist in installation.
*For Big trees and Shrubs, Size XL and bigger: Review our Seasonal Shipping Timelines and Policy here.
Your trees and plants are grown across the United States at various Bower & Branch Growers. Depending on your location, your plant orders may be shipped from various locations. Please expect orders with multiple items to be delivered over a number of days as a result. Orders made up of numerous items or selections will not arrive at your home on the same day.
Shipping Delays:
From time to time, Bower & Branch Growers may determine to delay order shipment based on various factors for plant health. Weather in your region, as well as, where your plants are grown, is always considered when shipping. Extreme weather conditions may delay some or all of your order. Bower & Branch allows our Growers to make final shipping decisions based solely to benefit your trees and plants’ health and success.
How Does Sizing Work?
The size of our trees have nothing to do with the container size like you may find elsewhere–big doesn't mean just height - it’s also vigor, age, and overall health. Other online retailers are going to tell you that a plant is a seven gallon, that means nothing to your tree or plant (or you.)
Our trees for sale online are graded on large, x-large, and even bigger sizes. This is because our trees are sized by their age—the higher the letter, the more mature the tree. The age determines the trees’ overall height, size of the trunk and the overall branch density.
All of these characteristics are what you should be looking for when choosing a tree for immediate impact and instant curb appeal. Our extra-large tree and plant sizes are sure to wow you and your neighbors!
See the size guides below.
Our Guarantees
3-YEAR-TREE GUARANTEE:
Bower & Branch offers a Three-Year Tree Guarantee on all of our trees, sizes X-Large and up. Only the finest and the most experienced growers are awarded the opportunity to grow for Bower & Branch, so we offer the best guarantee available.
If your tree(s) should fail for any reason during the three-year guarantee period, you will receive an online gift card in the amount that you originally spent on the tree.* You can then use this online gift card for any Bower & Branch Purchase.
* Bower & Branch provides online gift cards in the amount of the original purchase price of the tree(s). The amount does not include any additional costs such as delivery, planting, tax, or any other products or services. Online gift cards can be applied towards any Bower & Branch purchase on BowerandBranch.com and have no expiration dates. Bower & Branch does not guarantee tree replacement or availability of any desired product at any time. Cash refunds are not offered. Bower & Branch requires that all original tags and receipts are present when a guarantee request is initiated. The Bower & Branch Three-Year Guarantee only applies to plant material that has been planted in the ground. Container plantings are NOT covered.
At Bower & Branch, we do our best to honor all guarantee fulfillment requests to ensure customer satisfaction. However, we reserve the right to refuse the request if the required guarantee steps were not satisfied. Bower & Branch also reserves the right to deny any guarantee fulfillment request that is made as a result of animal damage, problems with plant hardiness and zone issues, or acts of nature (snow storms, hurricanes, and similar).
Reach out to a Plant Whisperer with any questions:
- Email: plantwhisperers@bowerandbranch.com
- Phone: 866-873-3888
- Or via Online Chat
Customer Reviews
My tree showed up very very root bound. I contacted bower and branch and they told me this was normal. I planted it, but am very nervous about its future.
Jason, thank you for your review and comments. Our growers here at Bower & Branch requested a direct call when you had reached out to address your concerns specifically, and this offer remains in place! Please let us know if we can schedule that for you as we’d love to connect, but in the meantime, we've asked our grower to comment in response:
- The history of our nursery industry goes back well over a century when, at that time, everything was grown in the field - Roses, Azaleas, all Shrubs and Perennials and of course, Trees. Since that period, most nursery growing today takes place in containers and over the past 35 years or so, Trees are now being grown in containers as well. In fact, in some areas of the USA, Trees are only grown in containers today.
There are literally thousands of Red Oak growing each year in containers, with growers perfecting container Tree growing as they go. The concept of being 'root bound' is more about preference rather than health. It is a fine line to determine when a plant is root bound versus not fully rooted, again, more preference than science.
Some Trees have finer root systems, some more coarse. Red Oak is a coarse root grower, most of the big legacy type trees tend to have this in common. These Trees require growers to manage the root systems a little differently in production for the success of the tree, with the objective being to form more roots in a smaller environment, which then appears to be 'root bound'.
The truth of the matter is this, there is no real research or data that suggests being root bound is detrimental to Tree health. The true reasons for Tree losses from planting is tied to depth of planting and water availability, particularly through the first year or two of establishment, that is until the roots grow into the surrounding native soils.
A rather unknown fact is that tree roots can be pruned - they can be manually separated and spread out, all of which is actually good for the root system when done well and at the right time - i.e. Fall planting. We encourage you and all Bower & Branch customers to learn more of this when you do your own planting. There seems to be a great misunderstanding of all of this out there and being 'root bound' is a term used far too often for root systems that are actually healthy and strong.
I understand the concern that seeing heavy circling roots can bring, however, in most cases, simple actions at planting can relieve these concerns and more often than not, these concerns are most always misplaced. -
Please let us know if we can schedule that call, our growers would love to chat and address your concerns one to one :)
Thank you!
- Bower & Branch Plant Whisperers
