Southern red oak, Spanish oak
Quercus falcata
Family: Fagaceae
What it is like
A deciduous tree. It grows 25 m high. It is a broadly spreading oak tree. The bark is dark grey-brown and has cracks. These form narrow ridges. The leaves are narrowly oval and 20 cm long by 15 cm across. They are deeply divided into lobes. They are dark green and smooth above and have brown or grey hairs underneath. The male and female flowers are separate on the same plant. The males are more obvious in yellow-green catkins which droop. The fruit is an acorn 2 cm long. It is about one third enclosed in a narrow cup.
There are about 600 Quercus species.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It is native to the S.E. United States. They grow in dry woods from the coast to the mountains. It suits hardiness zones 8-10. Arboretum Tasmania.
Countries/locations it is found in
Australia, North America, Tasmania, USA
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Seeds, nut