Scarlet Oak vs. Pin Oak for fall colors??
hopin4rain (7A TN)
last year
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hopin4rain (7A TN)
last yearlast modified: last yearRelated Discussions
fall color of scarlet oak
Comments (1)Hybridization with other oaks so that the parents of the acorns are not both scarlet oaks - that's a possibility....See MorePin Oak vs Scarlet vs Red
Comments (7)Yardworker 1, I have all 3 in my yard, and I agree, it's tricky by leaf shape. The PIn oak tree, is pretty easy to spot if you go by the trees growing form. I have the red oak (Rubra) and the (Coccinea) Scarlet. I can pick out my Rubras VS my Shumard and Nuttalli's. I have 1 baby Scarlet oak. But by leaf shape it is difficult. My Rubras have a different shape now in their "teen years". If I had to choose between the PIN, SCARLET, OR RED. For a fast growing beautiful tree, in a yard with limited room, I would HAVE to say Pin Oak. Which NEEDS a PH of Neutral 7.0, or lower. The red oak Q. Rubra should be a 2nd choice for a large yard where you could plant 2 oak trees. I Just have actually spent some time under my Pin oak today. I saw it's nice form and I was in awe. I just was so happy i planted it, it is so wonderful. Yes, I am not joking. But I think that the Q. Nuttalli is a nice oak also. I really don't have an oak that I think isn't wonderful, really. I will add that the REd Oak is likely to grow to be more Massive than any of the other oaks mentioned. Unless you try a Compton's oak, that is,. The Compton's oak has no real fall color. It is in the "White oak family" anyways. Not like the Pin Scarlet or Red oaks. Well, all 3 of the oaks "Pin, Scarlet and Red" oaks are said to have red fall color. All 3 may be red in your area yardworker. I can remember the "pin oak" in my yard actually 2 of them, being a quite showy red leafed tree in fall. There are Scarlet and Rubra in my area. I will have to pester the neighbor with a Q. Rubra on what he remembers in fall from his giant Rubra which I planted in !997. I really don't recall how good the fall color is....See MoreNorthern Pin Oak vs. Pin Oak
Comments (5)Oak wilt is a real problem, but primarily in a woodland setting where root grafts spread the disease from one tree to another. It can be nasty and I've had to remove many infected trees in the woods. However, I wouldn't let it keep me from planting red oaks. Its unlikely you'll have a problem if planted in an open area, prune appropriately, and avoid wounds. This from the WI DNR website regarding OW spread: Underground: Most oak wilt moves from diseased trees to healthy trees through roots that have become interconnected (root grafts). Most root grafts form between oaks of the same species; red oak roots graft more commonly than do white oak roots, and grafts between red and white oaks are very rare. Overland: Some movement of oak wilt is overland via sap-feeding beetles. In the spring, fungal mats (small masses of Ceratocystis fagacearum) develop under the bark of some trees that have died from oak wilt the year before. These mats force the bark to crack open. The fungus produces a sweet odor that attracts sap-feeding beetles on the mats. The beetles then fly to healthier oaks to feed on sap flowing from fresh wounds, thus infecting healthy trees....See MoreRed Oak vs. Northern Red Oak
Comments (9)They are probably referring to the same thing. If you are in the Midwest most people will say Red Oak but if you look at a Quercus rubra tag in the nursery the common name will be listed as Northern Red Oak. In my experience Red Oak (or NRO) is quite variable in fall color but usually gives a decent display. I prefer many of the white oak hybrids like Prairie Stature, Forest Knight, etc... as they are more resistant to oak wilt and still give a nice color display in the fall. Growth rate of the red oak group as a whole is typically quicker than that of the white oak group. If your soil is acidic enough also think about trying Quercus ellipsoidalis or Quercus coccinea, both of which tend to have excellent fall color....See Morehopin4rain (7A TN)
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