Pin Oak
Swamp Oak
Quercus palustris Muenchh.
Chêne des marais
Range:
Occurs in southern Ontario at the east and west ends of Lake Erie, locally abundant.
Frequently planted as an ornamental due to its symmetrical shape and attractive leaves (Zones CA4, NA4).
Tolerant of urban conditions and easily transplanted.
Leaves:
7-15 cm long, base wedge-shaped.
5-7 lobes with a few bristle-tipped teeth on the larger lobes.
Lobes are wide-spreading, separated by deep, wide U-shaped notches.
Upper edge of lobes at right angles to the midvein.
Basal lobes often recurved.
Central lobe is 3 times as long as the width of the leaf between opposite notches.
Upper surface is shiny dark green, paler beneath with a few tufts of hairs in the vein axils.
Stalk is slender, 2-5 cm long.
Buds:
Terminal bud is ovoid, small, 2-4 mm long, sharp-pointed, light chestnut-brown, almost hairless.
Twigs:
Slender, hairless, reddish-brown.
Flowers:
One of the first oaks to bloom in spring.
Fruits:
Acorns are small, 9-13 mm long, almost as wide, short-beaked at the tip.
Cup is shallow, saucer-shaped, 12-16 mm across, enclosing one-quarter of the nut.
Scales are tight-fitting, thin, pointed, hairy, reddish-brown.
Bark:
Grayish-brown, thin, smooth.
With age, divides into narrow inconspicuous ridges.
Inner bark is reddish.
Wood:
Light brown.
Size and Form:
Small trees, up to 20 m high, 60 cm in diameter, and 100 years old.
Trunk is straight, with a gradual taper, distinct well into the crown.
Principal branches are slender (for an oak), ascending in the upper crown, horizontal in the center, and curving downward in the lower crown.
Root system is shallow.
Habitat:
Occurs mainly on poorly drained soils, in swamps, and along streams.
Also flourishes on well-drained loamy soils.
Mixed with other oaks, elms, and willows.
Early height growth is rapid; intolerant of shade.
Quick Recognition:
Leaves with 5-7 lobes, each lobe 3 times as long as the width of the constricted part of the leaf.
Notches are wide, U-shaped, and leaf stalks are slender.
Buds are 2-4 mm long, light reddish-brown, almost hairless.
Twigs are slender, reddish-brown.
Acorns are 9-13 mm long with a shallow cup enclosing one-quarter of the nut.
Scales are thin, tight-fitting, hairy.
Bark is smooth, with grooves inconspicuous even on older trees.