Pin Oak Canopy. Formica, Anna (2013)

Because the pin oak is so adaptive and strong, it can be found in many parts of North America. The pin oak’s native habitat is the moist bottomlands of the central Midwest and middle Atlantic states. The tree was first observed scientifically as early as prior to 1770. The tree can be found on poorly drained, acidic soils from Michigan to Massachusetts and all the way south into Tennessee, as well as reaching west into Kansas and Oklahoma.

The United States national champion pin oak is located in Bell County, Kentucky, the tree is 134 feet tall and has a diameter greater than 6 feet. As pin oaks age, they lose their classic shape. Because of this, many large pin oaks go unrecognized and are often mistaken for other species.

The wood of pin oak is very similar to the wood of a red oak, and is commonly marketed by lumberers as “red oak”. Even though the tree’s wood is heavy, strong, and very dense, it tends to warp. It is often used for wood pulp, fuel wood, and railroad ties for this reason. Not only resourceful for our culture, the tree is also food to much wildlife. This includes the whitetail deer, squirrels, wild turkeys, and smaller rodents and is especially important in feeding ducks as well.