Habitat

• native to eastern United States
• zone 4

Habit and Form

• a large, deciduous tree
• 60 to 70' tall
• has an irregular spread
• pyramidal when young
• rounded, broad-rounded or upright rounded when mature
• dense crown
• medium texture
• moderate growth rate

Summer Foliage

• alternate leaf arrangement
• simple, deciduous leaves
• leaves are not lobed
• obovate leaf shape
• 4" to 8" long
• coarsely toothed leaf margin
• leaves have a gray pubescent underside
• dark yellow-green leaf color

Autumn Foliage

• yellowish-brown fall color

Flowers

• monoecious
• male flowers are pendulous yellow-green catkins
• blooms in May
• messy

Fruit

• ovoid acorn in pairs on singly
• 1" ti 1.25" long
• involucre covers a third of the nut
• acorn is a rich dark brown color

Bark

• nearly black bark
• deeply furrowed
• ornamentally attractive

Culture

• full sun
• prefers moist, well-drained, acidic soil
• easily transplanted for an oak

Landscape Use

• shade tree
• for large area
• for valuable wood
• one of the most attractive oaks
• long-lived and desirable

Liabilities

• numerous insect and disease pests, but damage is rarely significant

ID Features

• leaves have no lobes
• alternate leaf arrangement
• bark is almost black in color
• imbricate, conical, reddish brown, buds with pubescence
• large acorns

Propagation

• by seed

Cultivars/Varieties

• none