Quercus Rubra - Red Oak Seedlings

Red Oak Seedlings for Sale: Bulk Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) for Timber, Deer and Reforestation

Red oak seedlings (Quercus rubra) are young, bare-root northern red oak trees that grow 60 to 75 feet tall and produce acorns for deer, turkeys and squirrels. Northern red oak is hardy in USDA zones 3–8 and grows best in full sun. TN Nursery ships 6–12 inch and 12–18 inch red oak seedlings in packs of 100 or 500.

Northern red oak belongs to the beech family, Fagaceae, and leads the red oak group. The tree grows wild across eastern North America, from Nova Scotia and Minnesota south to Georgia, Tennessee and Arkansas. Red oak seedlings and red oak saplings are a favorite of landowners because northern red oak is one of the fastest-growing oaks, builds valuable hardwood timber and drops heavy acorn crops for wildlife.

• Botanical name: Quercus rubra, beech family (Fagaceae), red oak group
• Also called: northern red oak seedlings, red oak saplings, eastern red oak, champion oak
• Sizes: 6–12 inch or 12–18 inch bare-root seedlings
• Pack sizes: 100 seedlings or 500 seedlings
• Mature size: 60–75 feet tall and about as wide
• Growth rate: fast for an oak, about 2 feet per year in full sun
• Acorns: about 1 inch long, ripening in their second fall
• Ships: bare root and dormant, between November 15 and 29

How Much Do Red Oak Seedlings Cost in Bulk?

Red oak seedlings from TN Nursery cost about 80 cents to $1.15 per seedling, depending on size and pack. The 500-seedling packs give the lowest price per northern red oak for timber stands, reforestation and wildlife plantings.

How Many Red Oak Seedlings Do You Need Per Acre?

Plant red oak seedlings 10 to 12 feet apart for timber and reforestation, which takes about 300 to 436 seedlings per acre. Space red oak seedlings 20 to 30 feet apart around a food plot so each tree grows a wide, acorn-heavy crown.

Tight spacing grows tall, straight trunks for lumber, and wide spacing builds the broad crowns that produce the biggest acorn crops.

Why Plant Red Oak Seedlings for Deer, Turkeys and Food Plots?

Red oak seedlings grow into one of the most important mast trees for wildlife in eastern North America. Northern red oak acorns are a fall and winter staple for white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, black bears, squirrels, wood ducks and blue jays.

Red oak acorns take two growing seasons to ripen and drop from September into November. Because red oak acorns hold up well through winter, red oaks keep feeding wildlife long after the sweeter white oak acorns are gone. Planting red oak seedlings together with white oak seedlings gives a property acorns every year, from early fall through late winter. Open-grown northern red oaks usually start bearing acorns at about 20 to 25 years old, and heavy crops follow as the crown fills out.

How Do You Plant Bare-Root Red Oak Seedlings?

Plant bare-root red oak seedlings while they are dormant, from November through April, in full sun and deep, well-drained, slightly acidic soil. Keep the roots moist until planting and set each seedling at the depth it grew.

At our Altamont, Tennessee nursery, we grow northern red oak seedlings in our own beds, lift them while dormant and pack the roots in moist material. Each bundle arrives ready for a planting crew, a dibble bar or a shovel.

1. Keep the bundles cool and shaded with the roots damp until planting day.
2. Soak the roots in water for 30 minutes to an hour.
3. Clear a 3-foot circle of grass and sod at each planting spot.
4. Open a hole or dibble slit deep enough for the taproot to hang straight down.
5. Set the root collar at soil level, close the hole firmly and water deeply.
6. Slip a 4- to 5-foot tree tube over each seedling to shelter the tender tips from deer and speed early growth.
7. Water weekly through dry spells in the first summer.

What Grows Well With Red Oak Seedlings?

Other mast and cover trees grow well with red oak seedlings in a wildlife or reforestation planting. White oak seedlings ripen sweet acorns in a single season, and bur oak seedlings add the largest acorns of any native oak. American persimmon seedlings drop soft fruit that deer love in fall, and loblolly pine seedlings form a fast evergreen windbreak and bedding cover. Eastern redbud seedlings brighten the woodland edge each spring. Planting a single shade tree for the yard? Our red oak tree ships at 1 to 4 feet tall, Buy 1 Get 1 Free. Browse more bulk trees in our tree seedlings and native trees collections.

Planting & Growing Information

Botanical Name: Quercus rubra
Plant Family: Fagaceae (beech family), red oak group
Ships: Bare root, 6–12 inch or 12–18 inch seedlings, in packs of 100 or 500
Planting Zone: 3–8
Height at Maturity: 60–75 feet
Spread: 60–75 feet
Growth Rate: Fast for an oak, about 2 feet per year
Spacing: 10–12 feet for timber and reforestation; 25 feet or more for mast trees
Sun or Shade: Full sun, at least 6 hours daily
Water Needs: Moderate
Soil: Deep, well-drained, slightly acidic loam or sandy loam
Bloom Season: April–May (catkins)
Fall Color: Russet red to bright red
Native Range: Eastern and central North America
Care: Water weekly the first summer, keep a mulch ring around each seedling and prune young trees in winter while dormant.
Plant Attributes: Fast-growing native oak, valuable hardwood timber, acorns for deer, turkeys and squirrels

Red Oak Seedlings FAQ

How fast do red oak seedlings grow?

Red oak seedlings grow fast for an oak, usually about 2 feet per year in full sun once the roots establish, and northern red oak can reach 20 feet within about 10 years.

How many red oak seedlings should I plant per acre?

Plant about 300 to 436 red oak seedlings per acre at 10- to 12-foot spacing for timber and reforestation, or about 70 per acre at 25-foot spacing for wide-crowned mast trees.

When do red oak trees start producing acorns?

Open-grown northern red oaks usually begin producing acorns at about 20 to 25 years old, with heavier acorn crops as the trees mature.

Do deer eat red oak acorns?

Yes. White-tailed deer, wild turkeys, squirrels, black bears and blue jays all eat northern red oak acorns, especially in late fall and winter.

Is northern red oak a good tree for a city yard?

Yes. Northern red oak handles city conditions well, transplants easily and grows into a broad shade tree, so plant it at least 30 feet from buildings to give the crown room to spread.

Grown and Shipped by TN Nursery

TN Nursery has grown hardy native plants since 1959, more than 65 years of experience, and has supplied plants to major U.S. landmarks like the Washington Monument and Arlington National Cemetery. At our Altamont, Tennessee nursery, we grow northern red oak seedlings in quantity and ship them bare root in packs of 100 and 500 to landowners, hunters, foresters and conservation groups. Before planting, read Oak Tree Seedlings: Growth, Care, and Planting Guide, Acorn Tree Guide: Which Oaks to Plant for Wildlife and Replant for Profit on our garden blog.