Oak care — light, water, toxicity and hardiness
Oak (Quercus rubra) wants full sun and a drink about every 14 days once established. It is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8. It is toxic to pets — worth keeping out of reach.
| scientific name | Quercus rubra |
|---|---|
| family | Fagaceae |
| category | tree |
| plant type | perennial |
| light | full sun |
| water cadence days | 14 |
| min zone | 4 |
| max zone | 8 |
| frost tolerant | true |
| toxic to pets | true |
| edible | false |
How often should I water Oak?
Water young trees deeply; mature oaks are drought-hardy.
Is Oak toxic?
Acorns and young oak leaves contain tannins toxic to pets and livestock if eaten in quantity.
Who eats it
Palatable to browsing animals such as deer: medium. Palatable to people: no.
What it needs
Its shade tolerance is medium. Its moisture use is medium. Its drought tolerance is low. It wants at least about 30 inches of rain a year. Above roughly 80 inches of annual rain it struggles. It tolerates soil down to pH 4.3. It tolerates soil up to pH 7.3. Its fertility requirement is low. Adapted to coarse, sandy soils: yes. Adapted to medium, loamy soils: yes. Adapted to fine, clay soils: yes. It needs at least 100 frost-free days. Its salt tolerance is medium. Its tolerance of chalky soil is low. Its fire tolerance is high. Fire resistant: no. It has been recorded down to -35°F. It suppresses neighbours chemically: no.
How it grows
It grows as a single stem form. Its growth rate is moderate. Its lifespan is long. It puts on most of its growth in spring and summer. It spreads by seed at a slow rate. It resprouts after damage: yes. Coppices: yes. At maturity it reaches about 81.0 feet. By twenty years it is about 36 feet. Its roots go down at least 36 inches. Its shape is erect. It holds its leaves through winter: no.
What it looks like
It blooms in mid spring. The flowers are yellow. Conspicuous in flower: no. The foliage is green. The foliage texture is medium. In summer the canopy is dense in porosity. In winter it is porous in porosity. Fall colour: yes. The fruit or seed is brown. Fruit begins in summer. Fruit finishes by fall. It fruits medium. The fruit persists on the plant: no. The fruit is conspicuous: yes.
Growing more of it
Propagated by seed: yes. Propagated by cuttings: no. Propagated by container: yes. Propagated by bare root: yes. Propagated by bulb: no. Propagated by corm: no. Propagated by tubers: no. Cold stratification required: yes. Seedling vigour is medium. Commercial availability: routinely available.
Source: USDA PLANTS Database; US Cooperative Extension horticulture publications · ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List · 2026-09-02