Pin Oak
Quercus palustris · Fagaceae (Beech and Oak family)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Leaf Morphology
Leaf Type
Simple, deciduous
Shape
Pinnately lobed with 5 to 7 deep lobes that have bristle-tipped teeth
Margin
Lobed with bristle tips on the lobe lobes
Arrangement
Alternate along the twig
Venation
Pinnate with a prominent yellowish-white midrib and primary veins
Key Features
Deeply lobed leaves with bristle-tipped teeth, deep U-shaped sinuses between lobes, drooping lower branches, and persistent dead leaves in winter (marcescence)
Description
The Pin Oak is a medium to large deciduous tree known for its distinctive branch habit: upper branches grow upward, middle branches grow horizontally, and lower branches droop downward. It produces small acorns and features deeply cut, glossy green leaves that hold onto their dead leaves through much of the winter.
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 Ontario and Kansas, and south to Arkansas and North Carolina