Pin Oak
Quercus palustris · Fagaceae (Beech and Oak family)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Leaf Morphology
Leaf Type
Simple, deciduous leaf
Shape
Lobed with 5 to 7 deep, bristle-tipped lobes and deeply cut sinuses
Margin
Lobed with bristle-tipped teeth
Arrangement
Alternate
Venation
Pinnate with a prominent central midrib and primary veins extending into each lobe
Key Features
Deeply cut sinuses extending almost to the midrib, bristle-tipped lobe points, and lower branches that persist on the tree in a downward-pointing dead skirt
Description
The Pin Oak is a medium-sized deciduous tree known for its distinct branching habit where upper branches point upward, middle branches grow horizontally, and lower branches droop downward. It produces small acorns and features deeply lobed leaves with bristle tips that turn a rich bronze or red in autumn.
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