Your plants can be on their way to you in less than two days with Grower Direct Express!

Happy & healthy plants shipped right to your doorstep.

Free Shipping On All Orders $199+

Northern Red Oak Tree

Quercus rubra

Regular price $2495
  • Out of stock
  • Stay Protected with Plant Sentry ™
Plant Size

Plant Sentry™

Plant Sentry is designed to protect both consumers and the nursery trade from invasive plant pests and diseases. Sites that display the Plant Sentry protection badge are protected from consumers buying and nurseries shipping material carrying invasive pests and diseases.

This proprietary eCommerce software prevents the shipment of a restricted plant to each state. The Plant Sentry system includes a shipment certification program. The Plant Sentry Compliance Officer works closely with NatureHills.com and each nursery or fulfillment center to ensure only compliant plants are sold to customers.

Click Here to learn more

 

Plant Sentry

Delivery and Shipping

Shipping

To obtain a more accurate shipment time-frame, simply enter your zip code in the “Find Your Growing Zone” box to the right. Our plants are grown all over the country and lead time on items may be different because of this. Once your order is placed, you will also receive the specific shipment time-frame information as part of your order confirmation. Once an item ships, you will receive shipment notification and tracking numbers, so you can follow along while your plant travels to your doorstep. We use FedEx, UPS, or USPS at our discretion.

 

Due to winter weather we have put a hold on shipping to the areas shown below in grey. You can still order now and we will ship the plant to you during an appropriate time for your zone.

*If you have found your zone already, it will be highlighted in the table below.

Standard Shipping Rates

At Nature Hills we handle, package and ship the products you order with the utmost care to ensure healthy delivery. Shipping and handling charges are calculated based on the tables below. Please note that some items include an additional handling surcharge, these will be noted on the item's product page.

From To S&H
$0 $19.99 $24.99
$20 $49.99 $29.99
$50 $69.99 $34.99
$70 $99.99 $39.99
$100 $129.99 $44.99
$130 $149.99 $48.99
$150 $150+ Approx 28%

Click here to see our full rates

Plant Highlights

Northern Red Oak Tree highlights at a glance!

Specifications

  • Brand
    Nature Hills' Choice
  • Botanical Name
    Quercus rubra
  • Growing Zones
    3-8
  • Mature Height
    50 - 60 feet
  • Mature Spread
    50 - 60 feet
  • Sun Exposure
    Full Sun
  • Moisture
    Moderate
  • Soil
    Well Drained
  • Growth Rate
    Fast
  • Flower Color
    Yellowish-Green
  • Fall Color
    Red
  • Pollinator Friendly
    Yes
  • Pruning Time
    When Dormant
  • Bloom Period
    Late Spring

Admittedly, making a choice about a shade tree can be a little challenging. There are so many directions you can go, and Nature Hills offers a vast selection of beautiful, deciduous trees. People look for fast results, and they demand more than one season of interest.

How about we add in wildlife value? Let's add a dash of sophisticated good looks, and talk about Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra). This native tree has so much going for it.

The Northern Red Oak becomes a wonderful presence in the landscape! The distinctive, deeply lobed foliage changes colors throughout the growing season. New leaves emerge light red in spring, then deepen into lustrous, glossy green for summer.

It's really in fall that the Northern Red Oak shines the brightest. The leaves turn harvest red, russet and bright red tones on the same tree. All of the leaves have a real depth of color that you can study for a long time.

The Northern Red Oak is one of the fastest-growing, high-value Oaks. It should reach an established shade height of 20 feet after 10 years! This is a wonderful tree for large landscapes. It's long-lived and has a stately presence that only gets better with age.

Landscape Application:

This popular, long-lived, deciduous tree is grown throughout a wide region! It is native to the United States and makes a perfect shade tree for many yards. Like its cousins, Pin Oak (Quercus palustris) and Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea), Red Oaks are some of the most versatile trees grown in America.

You'll have seen them used as street trees or in parks and golf courses. Use Northern Red Oak in a formal setting as a street tree, but please know that design trends have changed. Now, instead of straight rows of a single variety, designers and tree planners are using a diversified planting method.

If you can place it to the west of a window, it will grow to filter the hot rays of the setting sun for you. Place a comfy chair in front of the window, as you will want to enjoy your tree over a cup of coffee. Enjoy the play of squirrels as they run and cavort along the well-spaced, upright branches.

Allow a single specimen tree to become a magnificent focal point in your yard. Buying the largest container size we have in stock will shave years off your wait. If you have the room, try using multiple trees to create a wonderful design element in larger yards. Plant Northern Red Oaks 10 to 15 feet apart on center. Measure from the trunk of one to the trunk of the next. The branches may eventually touch, but each tree will have enough room to develop.

Plant a row on either side of a long driveway for a transformative experience entering and exiting your land. Imagine this allée in the brightest fall color. Create a grove of trees planted along a curved semi-circle. Then, add a patio with comfy seating in the center. You'll feel like you are living in an outdoor sanctuary. What a visual treat!

Use Northern Red Oak on a commercial lot to lend some of its trustworthy charms to your corporate brand experience. This is a tree that gets noticed! You'll never regret your decision to stick with this native tree.

In rural settings, get ready to start seeing Wild Turkeys, Blue Jays, and even White-Tailed Deer who rely on the ¾ to 1-inch acorns. Be sure to include this variety in a well-managed food forest. The acorns produced are considered prime forage for wildlife. Pair with other Oak trees to ensure a consistent acorn mast production across the season.

Use a row along the sunny edge of a wilderness. You can plant this row straight as a stick. Or, why not stagger it a bit, varying the spacing between trees and even pushing some further back? We bet you'll like the natural look of a looser formation.

Add it to mixed plantings to create a natural ecosystem in your yard. Include evergreens of all shapes and sizes and use smaller flowering trees. Add plants for butterflies and plants that berry for birds. Be sure to site your Oak at the north of the planting bed, so the other plants have enough sun to flower.

  • Pointed Lobed Leaves
  • Prized as Fine Timber
  • Outstanding Fall Color
  • Sophisticated Looks & Long-Lived
  • Fast-Growing Shade Tree
  • Acorns are Mast Food for Wildlife
  • Gorgeous Specimens & Shade Trees

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Oak trees need to be planted in full sun to thrive. Northern Red Oak does poorly in part shade, so give it a spot in the yard where it can spread out unhindered by adjoining tall trees. Even in the dense forests of the East Coast, this variety is most often found growing where other tall trees have fallen down and allow open light for the young sapling to grow. The Northern Red Oak requires well-drained soils and is intolerant of wet soils.

Though drought tolerant, the Northern Red Oak can become stressed in extreme drought. Apply a 3-4-inch layer of mulch to 3 to 4 feet outside of the canopy to keep roots cool in the hot summer. In extended periods of dry, apply additional summer water.

It's tolerant of urban conditions and is relatively salt-tolerant, so works well on the coast. The roots can tolerate compacted soil, so this is the right tree for new construction. This Oak is easy to grow and transplants easily. It is relatively disease and pest-free.

The nice, symmetrical crown won't give you many pruning decisions. If you do want to correct the form or remove crossing branches, prune in fall or winter.

  • Full Sun Trees
  • Well-Drained Soil
  • Appreciates Regular Moisture Until Established
  • Prune When Dormant
  • Mildew Resistant, Disease Resistant & Cold Hardy

This variety is the most important timber variety of all the Northern Oaks, prized by makers of fine furniture, cabinetry, and flooring. The tree's excellent strength and light pink heartwood, with its very open grain patterns, make it a very desirable high-end wood. Northern Red Oak also produces wonderful firewood that burns slowly and hot.

Show off your impeccable taste with the Northern Red Oak Tree! You'll be thrilled with the handsome good looks of this native tree. A national treasure, this deciduous tree is widely adaptable. You'll never regret going with this beloved native tree. Northern Red Oak is a great choice!

Customer Reviews

Based on 24 reviews
100%
(24)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
m
mauricio
very pleased

i am thankful that it was easy to get the tree to have leaves. i was a bit skeptical i could get the tree to survive since it was my first time dealing with a bare root tree. The experience was very positive. It is so easy to order a tree online, plant it and have it do well.No more going to a nursery for me

Dear Mauricio,

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your positive experience with us! We’re delighted to hear that your first bare root tree has welcomed leaves and is thriving. It’s completely natural to feel a bit cautious when trying something new like planting bare root trees, and we’re so glad to have helped make the process easy and successful for you.

If you ever want tips on watering, pruning, or protecting your tree through the seasons, feel free to explore our planting and care guides on NatureHills.com, or reach out — we’re always here to lend a helping hand.

No need to visit the nursery when great trees are just a few clicks away! Thank you again for trusting us with your gardening journey.

Bloom on,
The Nature Hills Plant Knowledge Team

A
Alan
Perfect!

The Best Quality and Service out there!!!!!

Hello Alan,

Thank you so much for your enthusiastic review! We’re thrilled to hear you consider us the best in quality and service—that truly means the world to our entire team. It’s feedback like yours that keeps us motivated to continue providing exceptional plants and support with every order.

If you ever have any questions or need tips for your garden, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re always here to help your plants thrive!

Bloom on,
The Nature Hills Plant Knowledge Team

M
Mauricio
very pleased

i am thankful that it was easy to get the tree to have leaves. i was a bit skeptical i could get the tree to survive since it was my first time dealing with a bare root tree. The experience was very positive. It is so easy to order a tree online, plant it and have it do well.No more going to a nursery for me

Hi Mauricio,

Thank you so much for sharing your positive experience with your first bare root tree! We’re thrilled to hear that the tree has taken off with healthy leaves and that the online ordering process was smooth for you. Bare root trees can seem a bit intimidating at first, but you’re doing an amazing job seeing your tree thrive. If you ever need tips on care or advice on choosing more plants to enhance your garden, feel free to reach out—we’re always happy to help make your planting journey enjoyable and successful.

Wishing you happy planting,
The Nature Hills Plant Experts

G
Guest
Perfect!

The Best Quality and Service out there!!!!!

Hi,

Thank you so much for your enthusiastic review! We're thrilled to hear that you found both our quality and service to be the best out there. It truly means the world to us to know our efforts are making a positive impact on your gardening journey.

If there is ever any way we can assist you further, whether it's selecting the perfect plants or providing growing tips, please don't hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help your garden thrive season after season!

Bloom on,
The Nature Hills Plant Knowledge Team

K
Knitnurs
excellent fall color, great shade

We dug a red oak out of a fence row on the farm when we bought our last house and planted it in the front yard. Seventeen years later when we moved, the tree towered over the house giving great shade on the hot side of the house. It has gorgeous red fall color, and holds the leaves well into the winter providing a nice windbreak. Grass still grew well underneath. How I wished I could bring that tree with us...

Dear Knitnurs,

Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful experience with your Northern Red Oak tree! It’s truly heartwarming to hear how your tree became a majestic, comforting presence—offering shade, vibrant fall colors, and even a natural windbreak for your home after 17 years. You captured the beauty and resilience of this tree perfectly.

While relocating a mature oak tree of that size unfortunately isn’t feasible, if you’re thinking of planting a new oak in your current home, we recommend starting with a younger specimen to give it many years to thrive and eventually create that same majestic canopy and seasonal charm. Proper planting and regular deep watering in the early years can help ensure healthy foundation growth. Also, oaks generally prefer well-drained soil and benefit from a mulch ring to retain moisture and protect roots from mowing injury.

If you’d like, we’d be happy to help you find the best Northern Red Oak or other shade trees that suit your yard’s conditions. Our planting guides are also a great resource for care tips tailored to your region. Please don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re here to support your next tree legacy!

Wishing you happy planting,
The Nature Hills Plant Experts