Quercus coccinea seed

Fruit: Acorns are 1/2 to 1 inch long, with the cap covering 1/2 of the nut, cap scales are shiny, somewhat resembling a varnished black oak cap, scales on edges of cap generally not loose; the tip of the acorn may have concentric rings or fine cracks; maturing in two years and ripening in the fall.

Medicinal use  : Any galls produced on the tree are strongly astringent and can be used in the treatment of hemorrhages, chronic diarrhea, dysentery etc.

Edible parts  : seed – cooked. It can be dried, ground into a powder and used as a thickening in stews etc or mixed with cereals for making bread. The seed, which is up to 25 mm long and 15 mm wide, contains bitter tannin’s , these can be leached out by thoroughly washing the seed in running water though many minerals will also be lost.

Other uses : Wood – strong, hard, heavy, coarse grained. It weighs 46 lb per cubic foot. Inferior to wood from the white oaks, it is used in construction, furniture etc.