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 and deep, rounded sinuses
Arrangement
Alternate arrangement along the twig
Venation
Pinnate venation with a prominent central midrib and clearly visible secondary veins branching out to the lobe tips
Key Features
Deeply lobed leaves with bristle tips, very deep sinuses reaching almost to the midrib, lower branches that point downward, and numerous small, persistent pin-like dead branchlets along the trunk
Description
The Pin Oak is a medium-sized deciduous tree known for its distinct pyramidal form in youth and its characteristic lower branches that droop downward toward the ground. The leaves are deeply cut with contrasting bristle-tipped lobes. In autumn, the foliage turns a brilliant bronze-red before falling, though dead brown leaves often persist on the tree through the winter months in a process known as marcescence.
Habitat
Typically found in moist to wet bottomlands, floodplains, and poorly drained upland soils, favoring acidic clay or loamy soils and full sun exposure
Native Range
Native to eastern and central North America, ranging from New England west to Ontario and Kansas, and south to Georgia and Arkansas; widely planted as an urban street tree