34 Arbor Age / June 2014 www.arborage.com
B y L e n P h i l l i p s ,
A S L A E m e r i t u s
Common Name: Pin Oak
Botanical Name: Quercus palustris
Family: Fagaceae
Parentage: Native tree
Year of Introduction: Before 1770
Hardiness Zone*: 4 to 9
Height: 60 to 75 feet, can go to 100 feet
Spread: 25 to 40 feet
Growth Rate: Rapid, 12 to 15 feet in 5 to 7 years
Form: Pyramidal, lower branches pendulous,
middle branches horizontal, upper branches
upright
Bloom Period: Early spring
Flower: Catkins clustered, male and female
Fruit: Acorn, 1/2-inch long and wide, thin cap
Foliage: Deep lobes, 5-7
Spring Color: Deep green
Summer Foliage: Dark green
Autumn Foliage: Russet, bronze, red
Winter Color: Interest in form
Bark: Grayish-brown with small ridges
Habitat: Does well in northeastern quarter of
North America
Culture: Tolerates wet soils, prefers moist, rich,
acid well-drained soil, will not tolerate high pH,
full sun
Growth Rate: One of the fastest growing oaks,
less than 2 feet a year
Pest Resistance: Attacked by galls, iron
chlorosis is a problem with high pH soils
Storm Resistance: Excellent
Salt Tolerance: Sensitive to salt
Planting: Easily transplanted B&B and by
containers due to fi brous root system
Pruning: Prune in early spring only
Propagating: Seed only
Design Uses: Useful in large planting areas,
parking lots, open spaces, highway medians
where pendulous lower branches can be
accommodated
Companions: Most groundcovers
Other Comments: One of the most widely used
native oaks for landscaping
Available From: Most nurseries
* For information about the USDA Hardiness Zone
Map, visit http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/
index.html
These are the personal observations of the author,
living in New England – Zone 6. Len Phillips can
be reached via e-mail at lenphillips@on-line-
seminars.com.
Pin Oak
TREE OF THE MONTH
Photos provided by J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co.