Pin Oak
Quercus palustris · Fagaceae (Beech and Oak family)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Leaf Morphology
Leaf Type
Simple, deciduous leaf
Shape
Lobed (pinnately lobed with 5 to 7 deep lobes, often featuring U-shaped sinuses)
Margin
Lobed with bristly-tipped teeth at the ends of the lobes
Arrangement
Alternate
Venation
Pinnate venation with a prominent central midrib and lateral veins extending into the lobes
Key Features
Deeply lobed leaves with U-shaped sinuses and bristly tips, lower drooping branches that persist on the trunk even when dead, and small acorns with a saucer-like cap
Description
The Pin Oak is a medium to large deciduous tree known for its distinctive branch habit where upper branches grow upward, middle branches grow horizontally, and lower branches droop downward. It produces small acorns and features deeply cut, bristly-tipped leaves that turn a striking red in autumn.
Habitat
Typically found in moist to wet bottomlands, floodplains, and poorly drained upland soils; prefers acidic soils and full sun
Native Range
Native to eastern and central North America, ranging from New England west to Kansas, and south to Arkansas and North Carolina