Comparisons:  The black oak might sometimes be confused with the red
    and scarlet oaks.  The yellow, bitter inner bark will distinguish
    the black oak from the other two.  The light-colored, smooth bark of
    the red oak and the dark, ridged bark of the black oak will
    distinguish the two, while the bark of the scarlet oak has an
    appearance intermediate between the two.  The buds of the three
    species also show marked differences.  The buds of the black oak are
    covered with hairs, those of the scarlet oak have fewer hairs and
    those of the red are practically free from hairs.  The leaves of each
    of the three species are distinct and the growth habits are
    different.

RED OAK (Quercus rubra)

Distinguishing characters:  The bark is perpendicularly fissured into
    long, smooth, light gray strips giving the trunk a characteristic
    pillar effect as in Figs. 61 and 94.  It has the straightest trunk
    of all the oaks.  The leaves possess more lobes than the leaves of
    any of the other species of the black oak group, see Fig. 62.  The
    acorns, the largest among the oaks, are semispherical with the cups
    extremely shallow.  The buds are large and sharp pointed, but not as
    large as those of the black oak.  They also have a few fine hairs on
    their scales, but are not nearly as downy as those of the Black oak.

[Illustration:  FIG. 61—­Bark of Red Oak.]

Form and size:  The red oak is the largest of the oaks and among the
    largest of the trees in the northern forests.  It has a straight
    trunk, free from branches to a higher point than in the white oak,
    see Fig. 94.  The branches are less twisted and emerge at sharper
    angles than do those of the white oak.

Range:  It grows all over Eastern North America and reaches north farther
    than any of the other oaks.

Soil and location:  It is less fastidious in its soil and moisture
    requirements than the other oaks and therefore grows in a great
    variety of soils.  It requires plenty of light.

[Illustration:  FIG. 62.—­Leaf and Fruit of Red Oak.]

Enemies:  Like most of the other oaks, this species is comparatively free
    from insects and disease.

Value for planting:  The red oak grows faster and adapts itself better to
    poor soil conditions than any of the other oaks and is therefore
    easy to plant and easy to find in the nurseries.  It makes an
    excellent street tree, is equally desirable for the lawn and is
    hardly surpassed for woodland planting.

Commercial value:  The wood is hard and strong but coarse grained, and is
    used for construction timber, interior finish and furniture.  It is
    inferior to white oak where strength and durability are required.