Quercus falcata, also called听southern red oak,听spanish oak,听bottomland red oak听or听three-lobed red oak听is an oak (part of the genus听Quercus). Native to the southeastern United States, it gets its name the "Spanish Oak" as these are the areas of early Spanish colonies, whilst "southern red oak" comes from both its range and leaf color during late summer and fall.听The southern red oak is a听听angiosperm, so has leaves that die after each growing period and come back in the next period of growth.
Description
Quercus falcata听is a medium to large-sized听听听25鈥�30 meters (82鈥�98 feet) tall, with a few forest grown specimens on highly productive sites reaching 35鈥�44听m (115鈥�144听ft), with a trunk up to 1.5听m (5听ft) in diameter, the crown with a broad, round-topped head.
The听听are 10鈥�30 centimetres (4鈥�12 inches) long and听6鈥�16听cm (2+1鈦�4鈥�6+1鈦�4听in) wide, with 3 to 5 sharply pointed, often curved, bristle-tipped lobes, the central lobe long and narrow; the small number of long, narrow lobes is diagnostic, readily distinguishing southern red oak from other red oaks. The base of the leaf is distinctly rounded into an听听shape and often lopsided. They are dark green and shiny above, and rusty and hairy below, particularly along the听听and veins.
The听听is a short听听9鈥�16 millimetres (11鈦�32鈥�5鈦�8听in) long, bright orange-brown, enclosed for one-third to half of its length in a flat cup. The acorn matures at the end of its second season. The听听is dark brownish gray with narrow, shallow ridges.
