Lakeshore Garden Centres Plant Finder

Other Names:  Quercus robur x alba

Description:

A very attractive tree with a narrow, columnar habit of growth and vibrant, deep red fall color; ideal for formal screening, or as a vertical accent in the home landscape; extremely tough and adaptable, with great disease resistance

Ornamental Features

Scarlet Letter™ Oak is primarily valued in the landscape for its rigidly columnar form. It has dark green deciduous foliage. The lobed leaves turn an outstanding dark red in the fall. However, the fruit can be messy in the landscape and may require occasional clean-up.

Landscape Attributes

Scarlet Letter™ Oak is a dense deciduous tree with a strong central leader and a narrowly upright and columnar growth habit. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This tree will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and usually looks its best without pruning, although it will tolerate pruning. It is a good choice for attracting squirrels to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Messy

Scarlet Letter™ Oak is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Vertical Accent
• Hedges/Screening

Planting & Growing

Scarlet Letter™ Oak will grow to be about 40 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground, and should not be planted underneath power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live to a ripe old age of 100 years or more; think of this as a heritage tree for future generations!

This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under average home landscape conditions. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.