Leaf guide › Oaks
Scarlet oak
Quercus coccinea
The brightest red of the oaks, with deep C-shaped notches that nearly split each leaf into ribbons.
- Fall color
- Red
- Turns
- Late
- Leaves
- Alternate (one per spot)
- Size
- 3–7 in. long
- Found in
- New England & New York, Appalachians, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest
How to recognize it
- Usually seven lobes, separated by deep, rounded C-shaped notches that reach nearly to the center vein.
- Each lobe ends in several sharp points with tiny bristle tips.
- Glossy, bright green on top in summer, turning a clear scarlet in fall.
- Acorns have a scaly cap that covers about half the nut, and the nut often has faint rings around its tip.
Where to find it
Look for it on dry, sandy, or rocky ridges and slopes, usually mixed in with other oaks.
Easy to confuse with
Worth knowing
Scarlet oak often grows on dry, sandy, or rocky ridges, and it colors late, putting bright red into hillsides after the maples have dropped. It’s the official tree of Washington, D.C.
Common questions
What color does scarlet oak turn in fall?
Scarlet oak turns a bright, clear scarlet, one of the most vivid reds of any oak, sometimes fading to russet brown late in the season.
When does scarlet oak change color?
Late in the local season, after most maples have finished. Its leaves often hold on well into November.
How can you tell scarlet oak from northern red oak?
Northern red oak: Shallower notches that reach only about halfway to the center vein, and a duller russet red in fall. Scarlet oak: Deep, rounded C-shaped notches that reach nearly to the center vein, and a much brighter scarlet.
Where does scarlet oak grow?
In the lower 48, look for it in New England & New York, the Appalachians, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Midwest, especially on dry, sandy, or rocky ground.
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