Northern red oak spotting surges across Canada this week
iNaturalist Community
Native Plants
If you're out walking this week, the red oak's deep burgundy fall leaves and scattered acorns make it one of the easiest trees to identify right now, and logging your sighting on iNaturalist helps researchers track where this native species is thriving.
A lot more people are logging sightings of the northern red oak on the citizen-science app iNaturalist this week, 166 observations across Canada compared to 144 the week before. This isn't a scientific discovery so much as a sign that autumn is in full swing and the tree's reddish leaves and acorns are catching people's eyes. It's a good excuse to go look for one in your own neighborhood.
Key Findings
166 observations of northern red oak were logged in Canada over the past 7 days
That's an increase of 22 observations, up from 144 the week before
The species ranks among the most-observed plants in Canada this week on iNaturalist
chevron_right Technical Summary
Northern red oak sightings on iNaturalist jumped to 166 in Canada this week, up from 144 the week before, making it one of the most-observed plants in the country right now. It's likely a mix of fall color and acorn drop drawing more people outside to notice this tree.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Trending: northern red oak (Quercus rubra) — 166 observations this week
Northern red oak (Quercus rubra) is a species in the family Fagaceae. iNaturalist users recorded 166 observations of it in Canada in the 7 days before today, among the most for any plant there. Tha...
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
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Quercus rubra, the northern red oak or common red oak, is an oak tree in the red oak group. It is a native of North America, in the eastern and central United States and southeast and south-central Canada. It has been introduced to small areas in Western Europe, where it can frequently be seen cu...