Habitat

• native to eastern and central United States
• zone 4

Habit and Form

• a large, deciduous tree
• 75' tall and 45' wide
• upright to rounded shape at maturity
• young plants are loosely pyramidal in shape
• upright spreading branches
• old trunk can develop an irregular loose and open crown

Summer Foliage

• alternate leaf arrangement
• 3" to 6" long by 2.5' to 4.5" wide
• seven lobes per leaf each with a bristle-tip
• shiny dark green color
• sinuses between lobes are "C"-shaped

Autumn Foliage

• most trees develop good color
• russet to scarlet
• color develops very late in fall
• can be spectacular

Flowers

• male flowers are catkins
• monoecious

Fruit

• acorn, 0.5" to 1" long and wide
• singly or in pairs
• half of nut covered by a deep cap

Bark

• furrows and ridges
• gray-black color

Culture

• full sun
• difficult to transplant
• prefers acidic, sandy soils on the dry side based on natural occurrence
• seems less prone to chlorosis than pin oak

Landscape Use

• shade tree
• lawn tree
• should be saved in new construction

Liabilities

• considered hard to transplant
• very difficult to find in commerce

ID Features

• sinuses between lobes are "C"-shaped in comparison to Q. palustris, which has "U"-shaped sinuses
• acorns half-covered by a deep cap
• fall color late and red

Propagation

• by seed

Cultivars/Varieties

• none