Region: Midwest and eastern U.S., southern Canada, reaches it's most southern native range in southern Alabama and northern Georgia

Height (average to extreme): Tallest red oak in the east was measured in South Carolina in 2004, 152.9'. In the northeast an average mature forest tree is going to be in the 85-110 foot range.

Diameter (average to extreme): A good climbing tree can be anywhere from 35" to 6' on the extreme end (usually an open grown tree)

Shape: The crown has an upright narrow vase shape. Forest grown trees will have a tall vertical column/bole

1st pitch height: (average to extreme): For forest trees 50-80 ft., open grown trees 25-50'.

Common hazards: Mature trees subject to heart rot. Rot can also start from the top of the bole down from wind broken leaders. Will hold dead limbs for extended periods of time, they can be very solidly attached or fall with a touch. Often grows in the forest with a codominant double or triple trunk right from the ground. I believe this is because multiple acorns sprout from bird and small mammal caches.

Notable features (why you like it): Smooth bark on the upper branches, doesn't snag throw bags like white oak. The mature trees can have a high magnificence factor with massive bole, limbs and an upper crown spreading out over the surrounding canopy. Interesting to climb with limbs attached to the bole at upward angles. Holds leaves late into the fall. A good solid tree, the bread and butter of hardwood climbing in the northeast.

Sound during breeze: rustling, clicking, upper branches clack like deer antlers in a hard gust.

Interesting information: Some arborists and climbers maintain that red oak will suddenly drop healthy limbs during a drought. I have never seen evidence of this happening. Assess as you would any hardwood, be cautious in your first climb on a new tree. Red oaks have been hit hard by drought conditions and the European Winter Moth which has devastated mature red oak in the last 3 years in eastern Massachusetts.

Climbing on a Northern Red Oak in early spring:


Crown of a forest grown red oak:


-moss