Quercus palustris
pin oak
Interestingly, pin oak is named for a physical characteristic where small, thin, dead branches stick out like pins from the main trunk. Pin oak is among the most widely planted native oaks in the urban landscape and the third most common street tree in New York City. It tolerates drought, poor soils and is easy to transplant. The tree is naturally found throughout the Ohio River Basin with very little demand for the heavy and hard wood.
Photos Used by Permission - Steve Nix and Paul Wray, ForestryImages.org
Start with the Tree Finder if you are not sure what kind of tree you have!
How to Manage Pin Oak
(courtesy About Forestry)
Reconsider Planting Pin Oak in Your Yard
( courtesy About Forestry)
Pin Oak Habitat and Culture
(silvics courtesy of Silvics Manual, USFS)
From Virginia Tech w/Photos
(Big List courtesy of VT Dendrology)
North American Timber Types
(courtesy About Forestry)
The Great American Hardwood Forest
(courtesy About Forestry)
Recent Champion: 110' height, 112' spread, 240" circumf., Henderson County, Tennessee
National Register of Big Trees
Oak Wood Tech Sheet
(fact sheet courtesy of USFS in .pdf)
Pin Oak Images
(courtesy of ForestryImages.org)
Historic Pin Oak Images
(courtesy of University of Chicago and the Library of Congress)
Range Map
-The native range of pin oak, USFS.
Quick Stats
Common Names: Also called swamp oak, water oak, and swamp Spanish oak.
Habitat: Found on bottom lands or moist uplands, often on poorly drained clay soils.
Description: Best development is in the Ohio River Basin.
Uses: Wood is hard and heavy and is used in general construction and for firewood.
