Nuttall Oak
Quercus texana
Description:
The Nuttall oak is a bottomland species often found around the Mississippi river drainage, but may be found in other isolated areas. Very similar to pin oak in appearance and habitat, but with larger acorns, and more blocky leaf lobes than pin oak. Nuttall oak has also increased in popularity for landscaping, and is often planted in place of pin oak due to its superior disease resistance. Acorns are a valuable bottomland food source for wildlife.
Distribution:
Southern US, particularly near the Mississippi river drainage, with a spotty distribution around the edge of its range.
Habitat:
Bottomlands, near swamps or large river basins. Adaptable to various habitats and favorable for urban settings as a landscape tree.
Leaf:
5 to 11 lobes, longer than it is wide, with sun leaves having deep sinuses. Underside of leaf has small tufts of hairs between the midvein and side veins, similar to that of pin oak and Shumard oak. Tips of lobes are often angled toward the apex.
Bark:
Smooth to lightly fissured, gray, becoming more fissured with age.
Acorn:
Medium (3/4" to 1 1/4") and oblong, or egg-shaped. Often with dark stripes when ripe. Cap covers about 1/3 of the nut.
Gallery
Look-alike oaks:
Pin Oak - the Nuttall oak closely resembles pin oak, and shares the same habitat. However, the leaves are usually narrower, with more lobes and shallower sinuses than those of pin oak. The base of a pin oak leaf is generally flat, while that of Nuttall oak is angled. Acorns of Nuttall oak are about twice as large and elongated, with a deeper cap. Nuttall oak doesn't retain as many dead branches on the trunk as pin oak.