Quercus coccinea, commonly known as Scarlet Oak, is a magnificent, large deciduous tree celebrated for producing one of the most brilliant and pure scarlet-red fall color displays of any North American oak. Native to the eastern United States, this fast-growing, long-lived tree forms a broad, open, rounded to oval crown with a symmetrical shape in its youth. Its deeply lobed, glossy, dark green leaves (typically with 7-9 bristle-tipped lobes) turn a stunning, luminous scarlet in autumn, creating an unforgettable seasonal spectacle. In spring, inconspicuous female flowers and pendulous male catkins produce acorns that provide essential food for deer, squirrels, birds, and other wildlife. With its tolerance for urban conditions and well-drained acidic soils, it is an outstanding choice as a shade tree, specimen, or street tree.