Plant Family: Fagaceae
Growth Form: Medium-sized tree with a short trunk, reaching 15 to 20 meters tall in New England.
Leaves / Buds: Alternate, simple, shiny above, with tufts of hair along the midrib below; lobes bristle-tipped; the shape and depth of the sinuses is variable, but they usually extend halfway or more towards the midrib; new leaves and twigs are covered with velvety hairs. Winter buds are large, covered in white hairs, and held at an angle from the twigs.
Bark: Dark gray, thick and rough, with deep fissures on older trees.
Fruits: Appearing singly, or with up to five acorns in a group, the cup of the acorn typically has a few fringed scales and covers one-half the nut.
Habitat: Dry woods, hillsides, well-drained upland forests.
Range: Absent to uncommon in northern New England, common in central and southern New England, ranging south over most of the eastern United States.
Key Features: The thickly furrowed dark gray bark, velvety new growth, and white-hairy winter buds that are angled from the twigs will separate it from other Oaks.
Comments: Unlike Red Oak, Black Oak is not an important timber tree because the trunk tends to be short and often crooked. Black Oak does produce numerous acorns, however, that are important to wildlife.
