Pin Oak
Quercus palustris · Fagaceae (Beech and Oak family)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Leaf Morphology
Leaf Type
Simple, deciduous leaf
Shape
Pinnately lobed with 5 to 7 deep lobes that extend almost to the midrib, featuring bristle-tipped teeth
Margin
Lobed with bristle-tipped teeth on the lobe margins
Arrangement
Alternate arrangement along the twig
Venation
Pinnate venation with a prominent yellowish midrib and primary veins branching outward
Key Features
Deeply cut sinuses extending almost to the midrib, bristle-tipped lobe teeth, and the unique lower drooping branches of the parent tree
Description
The Pin Oak is a medium to large deciduous tree known for its distinctive growth habit featuring lower branches that droop downward, middle branches that extend horizontally, and upper branches that point upward. It produces small acorns and features smooth, greyish-brown bark that slowly becomes furrowed with age.
Habitat
Typically found in moist to wet bottomlands, floodplains, and poorly drained upland soils; prefers 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