Smithsonian Gardens
Smithsonian Gardens
Smithsonian Gardens
Plant Explorer
Search
Map
Names
Features
Tours
Taxon
English
Taxon
Quercus palustris
1 / 75
Next
Common name:
Pin Oak, Swamp Oak
Family:
Fagaceae (Beech)
Distribution:
S Ontario to NC and E USA
Habitat:
Bottomlands, clay flats, depressions with water in winter
Hardiness:
-30 - 20 F
Life form:
Deciduous tree
Fall color:
Red
Foliage characteristics:
Simple, alternate leaves with 5-7 sharply pointed lobes. 3-6" long.
Fruit characteristics:
Acorns have a shallow cap, mature to red-brown, and drop from September to November. .5-.75" diameter. Take two years to mature.
Bloom Time:
April to May
Bark characteristics:
Gray-brown bark has shallow ridges and furrows.
Average height:
50-75'
Structure:
Young: pyramidal Mature: oval
Bloom characteristics:
Male flowers grow in yellow-green catkins that appear at the same time as the leaves.
Description:
The pin oak is an excellent shade tree for cities. Interestingly, a black ink can be made from the twig galls of this oak.
Links:
Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
•
Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder
•
University of Connecticut Plant Database
•
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Locations
1:
Anacostia Community Museum
(ANACOSTIA)
• Accession: 2011-0306*A
2:
Anacostia Community Museum
(ANACOSTIA)
• Accession: 2011-0307*A
3:
Anacostia Community Museum
(ANACOSTIA)
• Accession: 2019-0223*A • Provenance: From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
4:
National Air & Space Museum
(NASM)
• Accession: 2011-1281*A
5:
National Museum of American History
(NMAH)
• Accession: 2011-0815*A
6:
National Museum of American History
(NMAH)
• Accession: 2011-0820*A
7:
National Museum of American History
(NMAH)
• Accession: 2011-0838*A
8:
National Museum of American History
(NMAH)
• Accession: 2011-0842*A
9:
National Museum of Natural History
(NMNH)
• Accession: 2011-1041*A
10:
National Museum of Natural History
(NMNH)
• Accession: 2024-0591*A
11:
National Museum of Natural History
(NMNH)
• Accession: 2024-0592*A
12:
National Museum of Natural History
(NMNH)
• Accession: 2024-0593*A
Area
Individual