Is Northern Red Oak deer resistant?
Quercus rubra
Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.
Rating source: Rutgers NJAES E271
About Northern Red Oak
The fastest growing of the native oaks and among the most reliable for autumn colour. Acorns are a major deer and wildlife food, which is part of why deer gather beneath it. Prune only in winter, since summer wounds attract the beetles that spread oak wilt.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 4.5 to 6.5
- Drainage
- Well drained
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 354 to 472 in apart
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maintenance
- Low
Deer-resistant alternatives to Northern Red Oak
Same plant type, hardy in the same zones, but rated better on the Rutgers scale. If Northern Red Oak keeps getting eaten, these go in the same spot.
Similar to Northern Red Oak
Other trees with the same deer rating.
- Alternate-Leaved DogwoodCornus alternifoliaZones 3–7Occasionally damaged
- American PersimmonDiospyros virginianaZones 4–9Occasionally damaged
- AppleMalus sp.Zones 4–9, genus rangeOccasionally damaged
- Atlantic White CedarChamaecyparis thyoidesZones 3–9Occasionally damaged
- Atlas CedarCedrus atlanticaZones 6–9Occasionally damaged
- Bald CypressTaxodium distichumZones 4–9Occasionally damaged
Protecting Northern Red Oak
Whether this survives comes down to local pressure, so it is worth knowing the options before it gets browsed rather than after.
- Protecting a young treeBrowsing costs a season. A buck rubbing a two-inch stem in October girdles it and kills it outright.
- How tall a deer fence needs to beEight feet, and six is the most common expensive mistake in deer fencing.
- Repellent that actually worksThe egg-based recipe that reproduces the active ingredient in the commercial sprays that win university trials.
- Check it is actually deerDeer tear and leave a ragged stub. A clean 45-degree cut is rabbits, and slug holes get blamed on deer constantly.
Where Northern Red Oak grows
Hardy across most of these 50 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvanianative
- New Jerseynative
- New Yorknative
- Connecticutnative
- Massachusettsnative
- Virginianative
- Marylandnative
- Michigannative
- Wisconsinnative
- Ohionative
- Indiananative
- Illinoisnative
- Minnesotanative
- Missourinative
- North Carolinanative
- Tennesseenative
- Georgianative
- Texas
- Colorado
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshirenative
- Vermontnative
- Mainenative
- Rhode Islandnative
- Delawarenative
- West Virginianative
- Kentuckynative
- South Carolinanative
- Florida
- Alabamanative
- Mississippinative
- Louisiananative
- Arkansasnative
- Oklahomanative
- Kansasnative
- Nebraskanative
- Iowanative
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbianative
Highlighted states are within its native range according to the USDA PLANTS database, where it is native to 34 US states in total.
Browse from here
Every list Northern Red Oak belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Northern Red Oak
- Is Northern Red Oak deer resistant?
- Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) is rated Occasionally Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.
- What hardiness zones does Northern Red Oak grow in?
- Northern Red Oak is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Northern Red Oak grow in shade?
- No. Northern Red Oak wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
- How big does Northern Red Oak get?
- Mature height is roughly 600–840 in. Growth rate is fast.
- Is Northern Red Oak toxic to dogs or cats?
- Not to dogs or cats — the ASPCA lists Northern Red Oak as toxic to horses only. Worth knowing if you keep any; the ASPCA does not list it as a risk to dogs or cats.