Quercus Species, Pin Oak, Swamp Spanish Oak

It is commonly planted in the Eastern and Midwestern US because it is fast growing of about 2 feet/year and does not develop a taproot li...Read Moreke most oaks, making it easier to transplant. It is a good quality and handsome tree, but is often over-planted. It must have an acid soil of pH 6.8 or below; otherwise, it develops iron chlorosis, and slowly yellows and dies. It grows in bottomlands and the scientific Latin name means Swamp Oak, thus it suffers in strong drought. Some years it suffers from anthracnose fungi disease on the foliage, causing brown areas on the leaves. Long, sharp, spur branches are borne on some larger branches.

A very popular and fast growing tree here in Western PA. where soils are generally acidic and conducive to tree requirements.
Bigg...Read Moreest problem I see with this tree planting is sizing and spacing. Due to Pin Oak growth habits (horizontal limbs with extremely broad crown), the tree is often planted in a confined area without much planning for crown size in 10 to 20 years.
The tree should not be planted within 20' of house, buildings or other large growing trees. To get the most from your Pin Oak plantings, give them a lot of space.
Great tree for wildlife including Squirrels, Turkey, Wood Duck, and Blue Jays.
Many of my Pin Oak plantings retain their leaves into spring and certain others exhibit brilliant Fall colors. I would guess it depends on soil and genetic variability.

This is the most commonly planted shade tree in the eastern US. I think there are many superior oaks for urban planting.

T...Read Morehe lower branches droop downward over time, and trees periodically need their lowest branches removed where people want to walk under them.

Unlike northern red oak (Quercus rubra), it doesn't consort gracefully with others of its species in a grove, due to its horizontal branches at middle height.

Unlike the southern pin oak (Quercus phellos), it's very intolerant of high-pH soils, and doesn't perform well in the hot summers of the southeastern US Z7-9.

If you live in the Southeast and have clay soil you do not want to plant this tree in your yard. After about 15 to 20 years the trees wil...Read Morel be unable to absorb the iron that they need from the alkaline clay soil and they will get Iron Chlorosis Disease. The trees will start to get yellowing of the leaves especially on the newer leaves and the the limbs will rot from the top of the tree down. Treating this is prohibitively expensive as trees are usually 40 to 100 feet tall when over 20 years old and once the disease is often recognized the tree may be to far gone by then anyway to treat with iron injections or iron sulphate bags planted in the ground around the base of the tree which can burn the roots or damage them when planting in holes around the tree as the roots are close to the surface, and liquid iron can only be absorb in chleated form and can also burn the roots and usually wont work either. avoid these trees!! large rotting limbs from these old trees can cause serious injury to your loved ones and home/property as well, they are not worth the aggrivation, with so many more beutiful hardy large varieties available. mike