Red oak is a common native oak species that develops a pleasingly symmetrical rounded crown and often turns various shades of red in the fall. A fast-growing tree, the red oak can reach 70 feet tall. It is used in residential landscapes, on city streets, in parks, and on golf courses. The acorns ripen in fall and drop early. Fall color is inconsistent and varies from red to reddish-brown or sometimes yellow. The leaves of this oak are broad and sharply toothed. Of all oaks, this is one of the easiest to grow in any well-drained, slightly acidic soil in the Chicago area.

Illinois native species.