Quercus rubra L. (= Q. borealis F. Michx.), Red Oak
Account Summary
Introduced, neophyte, deliberately planted, very rare. Native of eastern N America, widely planted in Europe.
22 August 1986; EHS Habitat Survey Team; Lough Nalughoge, Crom Castle estate, Upper Lough Erne.
A native of NE America introduced to Britain around 1724 and grown for its remarkably attractive autumn colouring, like Q. cerris (Turkey Oak), this large tree has become much more available in the horticultural trade in recent years. It is now very fashionable for planting in larger gardens and along driveways, as well as in public parkland and amenity areas around towns and cities. While it has been present in tree collections in B & I for over 350 years, Q. rubra was not recorded in the 'wild' until 1942. Over the last three or four decades it and several other fast growing N American oaks of the 20-strong Red Oak group (mainly Q. coccinea (Scarlet Oak), Q. palustris (Pin Oak) and Q. velutina (Black Oak)) have been increasingly planted across B & I. They are valued for their often very large leaves which fairly reliably produce a good bright red or strong yellow autumn leaf colour.
These four oaks are quite variable and phenotypically plastic in leaf form making them difficult to distinguish (Mitchell 1974 & 1996). It is therefore possible that 'Q. rubra' as recorded for the BSBI New Atlas 2000 survey represents an amalgam of two or more of these rather similar species, several of which are regularly confused within the horticultural trade. The two species that are mainly confused are Q. rubra and the even better colouring tree, Q. coccinea. These oaks should perhaps be referred to as Q. rubra s.l. following the example of Clement & Foster (1994).
With this proviso the New Atlas map shows Q. rubra very thinly and widely scattered in Ireland, but much more frequent and widespread in Britain. Although Red Oak now appears to seed and naturalise itself in parts of England (Jones 1959, p. 216), so far the few specimens recorded in Fermanagh have all been deliberately planted and they are confined to demesnes or their near vicinity.
There are just eight Fermanagh records, and the details of the other seven are: Corralongford, NE of Colebrooke Park, 1 July 1997, RHN; Castle Coole parkland, October 1998, RHN; Florencecourt House, 7 June 2003, RHN; Riversdale Forest, 16 January 2004, RHN & HJN; Derrychara playing fields, 16 May 2008, RHN; N of Rotten Mountain bridge, 9 September 2010, RHN & HJN; track behind old castle, Castle Archdale, 20 September 2010, RHN & HJN.
(ie Preston et al. 2002).
Fermanagh Occurence

Threats
Grazing pressure is preventing regeneration and many oaks are reaching a stage of over-maturity when boughs begin to drop off. As trees die, active management of existing woods, plus a programme of replanting using local acorns is urgently needed to maintain the species and its genome at anything approaching present levels.