Quercus palustris // Pin Oak
Origin: Native to Northeastern United States and Southeastern Canada
Etymology/Cultural Associations: Species epithet (palustris) comes from Latin word for swamp (palus). Common name Pin Oak refers to short, tough branchlets along limbs and branches. Alternate common names are Swamp Oak, Water Oak, and Spanish Swamp Oak due to tolerance of wet conditions.
Zone: 4-8
Habitat: Spontaneous Urban Growth community. Prefers moist loams but tolerates poorly drained soils. Tolerates some flooding. Found in floodplains, forests, shores of rivers/lakes, and swamps.
Mature Size: 50-70′ tall with 40-60′ spread, with broad, pyramidal crown. Upper branches ascend, middle branches grow outward horizontally, and lower branches descend.
Leaves: Alternate. Simple. Glossy, dark green leaves grow up to 5” long and typically have 5 bristle-tipped lobes with deeply cut sinuses. Leaves develop deep red foliage in the Fall.
Bark: Smooth gray-brown bark usually develops ridging with age.
Flower/Fruit: Monoecious. Insignificant, yellowish-green flowers in separate male and female catkins appear in Spring. Fruits are rounded acorns (1/2” long), with shallow, saucer-shaped acorn cups that barely cover the acorn base. Acorns have characteristic alternating darker/lighter streaks. Trees may take 15-20 years to start producing mast.
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