Northern red oak (Quercus rubra) is native to the North American continent, and the tree is naturalized across much of Europe. The hardiness zone for northern red oak is 3 to 8. The trees turn a gorgeous auburn in autumn. The color is heavenly, which is a gift from God because these trees live up to 400 years old. The northern red oak can grow up to 100 feet and beyond with a trunk two to three feet in diameter. The flowers and leaves of this deciduous tree appear in spring, followed by the acorn fruits. A tree may take decades before it can produce a substantial quantity of acorns. The acorns are edible if bitter, and some make coffee out of them. The northern red oak serves as a host plant for over 500 kinds of butterflies and moths, including the red-banded hairstreak butterfly, the red-spotted purple butterfly, Horace’s dusty wing, and Clymene moth. As many as 500 or more acorns may be required to produce one 1-year-old seedling. Moreover, the acorns need a minimum of three months of sub-40-degree Fahrenheit temperatures to germinate. And the sapling must come from an acorn that grew on the tree for at least two years, and which did not prematurely fall or get taken from the tree. The northern red oak thrives in six or more hours of direct sunlight daily. The tree is moderately drought tolerant, but it prefers moist and acidic soil. The extensive rhizome of a mature northern red oak provides soil stability, and access to deep water sources for any wildlife who taps into that. Ecosystems of great biodiversity are built around the northern red oak. This includes elk, deer, moose, wild turkeys, racoons, bears, blue jays, woodpeckers, rabbits, and squirrels, who depend upon this tree for shelter and sustenance. Portland Plant Paradise offers a free consult with every purchase, and it would be our pleasure to speak with you about the northern red oak. This offer is $100 for one 12 inch organic rooted sapling. Free shipping. Please know that we do not mail out to PO Boxes without explicit customer permission in writing.