Quercus palustris

COMMON NAME: Pin Oak, Swamp Oak

FAMILY: Fagaceae

GROWTH HABIT: Medium sized tree, 60 - 70 ft in height with a spread of 25 - 40 ft. Many short, pin-like branches throughout the tree. Short trunk and rounded or pyramidal crown.

FOLIAGE: Alternate, simple, 3 - 6 in long, at times almost as wide, elliptic or elliptic-oblong. Dark green above, lighter green beneath with axillary tufts of hair. Bristles at end.Major lobes "U"-shaped.

BUDS: Conical to ovate, sharp pointed, angled, 1/8 in long, chestnut brown

BARK: Grayish brown, thinnish, smooth and with age developed narrow, relatively shallow ridges and furrows.

FLOWERS: Borne separately on the same tree; male in catkins, the female in short spikes.

FRUIT: An acorn, solitary or clustered, 1/2 in long and wide, nearly hemispherical, light brown,, enclosed only at the base in a thin, saucer-like cup. Kernel of nut is bitter.

NATURAL HISTORY: Prefers moist soil, but sometimes occurs in dry sandy soil.

NATIVE HABITAT: Western Connecticut to Iowa (except most of New York), south to Arkansas and Virginia (Along the Piedmont in North Carolina).