Black Oak

Quercus velutina


Black oak's specific name velutina derives from the Latin word for fleece. It refers to the leaves that are densely downy (hairy) when young. Mature leaves are quite different: very dark yellowish-green and shiny on the upper side, with 5-7 bristle-tipped lobes. The lower shade leaves do not look the same as the upper sun leaves.  Lower leaves are usually large and very wide at the apex. They can be irregularly lobed with shallow sinuses between the lobes, or hardly lobed at all. The sun leaves at the top of the crown are smaller, with very deep u-shaped sinuses. The typical black oak bark is uniformly furrowed all along the trunk forming irregular small plates and is very dark gray (black). The inner bark contains a yellow pigment called quercitron, which was sold commercially in Europe until the 1940s. Native Americans used black oak to treat a wide variety of ailments including indigestion, chills, and fevers. It was also used as an antiseptic. This tree produces reliable acorn crops every 2-3 years. Acorns are readily consumed by insects, squirrels, mice, voles, white-tailed deer, and wild turkey. Gypsy moth, an introduced invasive species, defoliates black oak, and 2-3 successive defoliations can kill a tree.

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Young leaves of black oak, Ellisville Harbor State Park, May 10


New leaves on black oak, Tidmarsh Sanctuary, Plymouth, July 21


Black oak (left) and white oak. June 18


A branch from upper crown, September 19


Typical bark. Blue Hills Reservation, Quincy, November 17


Acorns with a fringe along the cup margin, December 2