The Southern Red Oak tree, Quercus falcata, is characterized by its rough bark. The Southern red oak is also referred to as Spanish oak. Southern Red Oak trees are a medium-sized tree with a short trunk and large branches supporting a rounded crown. The bark is dark gray in color, furrowed, and is marked by rough ridges and plates. It is a tree of the Old South, ranging from Maryland to Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. The acorns are usually produced singly, and biennially. They are 1/2 to 3/4 inch long, roughly spherical and orange-brown. Songbirds, turkey, a variety of small mammals and deer eat the nuts. The Southern Oak tree is deciduous and is a good shade tree adapted to drier sites. The wood of the Southern Red Oak is strong and coarse-grained. ... additional info