Red Oak Leaves

Not, as you might expect, leaves of the fast-growing, North American red oak, Quercus rubra (although they are grown commercially in Sherwood).

These young leaves of English oak lack chlorophyll because of shade, high sugar levels in the plant or changes in water availability.

The red colour is due to anthocyanin, a water-soluble pigment that occurs in the cell sap, which is visible due to the reduced levels of chlorophyll.