Pin Oak
Quercus palustris · Fagaceae (Beech and Oak family)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Leaf Morphology
Leaf Type
Simple, deciduous
Shape
Lobed with 5 to 7 deeply cut, bristle-tipped lobes
Margin
Deeply lobed with bristle-tipped teeth
Arrangement
Alternate
Venation
Pinnate venation with a prominent midrib and primary veins
Key Features
Deeply cut lobes with bristle tips, lower branches that persist and droop downward toward the ground, and small, saucer-like acorn caps
Description
Quercus palustris, commonly known as the Pin Oak, is a medium to large deciduous tree recognized by its distinctive growth habit where lower branches droop downwards, middle branches grow horizontally, and upper branches point upward. It features deeply sinuated leaves and small, round acorns.
Habitat
Typically found in moist to wet bottomlands, floodplains, and poorly drained upland soils
Native Range
Native to eastern and central North America, from New England west to Ontario and Kansas, and south to Arkansas and North Carolina