Northern Pin Oak

The Northern Pin Oak is a prominent tree throughout the Great Lakes region of the United States. Its acorns are a vital food source for local fauna such as squirrels, deer, and blue jays; its cavities are nesting sites for wood ducks, eastern kingbirds, and Kirtland's warblers. Its common name is derived from the many short or pin-like branchlets that protrude from its main branches. Today, the pin oak is largely a landscaping tree; however, it is not recommended in areas with high soil pH due to the threat of chlorosis (yellowing of the leaves).

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Quercus ellipsoidalis

HISTORY: The pin oak was first observed scientifically prior to 1770. Native American tribes once used the bark of the pin oak for intestinal medicine by boiling it.

LEAVES: The leaves of the pin oak are simple, alternate, and lobed (usually 5-7) with bristle tips. The color is green in summer and russet or red in the fall (unless the tree is suffering from chlorosis).

FRUIT/CONE/NUT/SEED: Pin oaks have small acorns that grow to about 1/2 inch in size.

FLOWERS: The pin oak flowers March through May, but the flowers are inconspicuous.

BARK: The gray bark is smooth, divided by shallow fissures into irregular ridges and plates. HEIGHT: The pin oak can attain heights of 60-70 feet.

USES: The wood of the pin oak has been used for furniture, flooring, interior finishing, posts, railroad ties, shingles, fuel, and hardwood pulp. Pin oaks are often used for landscaping and can be seen on the sides of highways and roads.

SOURCES:

https://naturalresources.extension.iastate.edu/forestry/iowa_trees/trees/northern_pin_oak.html

https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/plantguide/pdf/pg_quel.pdf

https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/pin-oak/

https://www.uky.edu/hort/Pin-oak

https://naturewalk.yale.edu/trees/fagaceae/quercus-palustris/pin-oak-106#:~:text=Origin%2C%20history%2C%20and%20uses%3A,be%20used%20for%20wooden%20contruction.