Wood: The
wood is hard, strong and heavy, but weaker, coarser and less resistant to
decay than that of the white oak. An important timber tree, the northern
red oak is used for furniture, veneer, flooring, pallets, boxes and firewood.
When treated, the wood is also suitable for fence posts, railroad ties and
mine timbers. It is, however, not suitable for holding liquids and is not
used for making barrels.
Wildlife: The acorns are eaten by white-tailed deer, raccoons, squirrels, turkeys, blue-jays and small rodents. The buds and young twigs are browsed by deer once the winter acorns have been exhausted.
Horticulture: Widely planted in Europe as an ornamental, this species is one of the best native oaks for use as a landscape tree. It is faster-growing than most other oaks, is less susceptible to chlorosis than the pin oak and the fall colors are more spectacular.
