tree identification bark northern red oak quercus rubra

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Tree Identification. Bark. Northern Red Oak. Quercus rubra

Northern Red Oak bark is normally a dark reddish gray brown, and scaly with broad, thin, rounded ridges. The bark is recognizable because of shiny, flat stripes often referred to as "ski slopes" running down the center of each ridge to about 2 to 3 feet above ground. As the tree ages and grows, the bark also develops distinctive furrows, which appear as `cracks` alternating with the ridges on the bark.