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Red oak tree ablaze with fall color; photo by Kevin Harber on Flickr (noncommercial use permitted with attribution / no derivative works).
Official State Tree of New Jersey
New Jersey designated the northern red oak (Quercus borealis maxima) as the official state tree in 1950 (New Jersey also adopted a state memorial tree in 1951). All State Trees
The northern red oak is named for the reddish color of the wood, though the fall foliage can also be a brilliant red. The acorns, leaves, and seedlings of northern red oak provide food for a huge array of wildlife including many species of birds, deer, elk, bear, squirrels, rabbits, and rodents.
An important source of hardwood lumber, the coarse-grained wood of the northern red oak tree is hard, strong, heavy, and durable. Red oak wood has been used to make railroad ties, fence posts, furniture, flooring, and for many other uses (it is also an excellent firewood).
