Carolina Nature

Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of North Carolina

Chinkapin Oak (Quercus muehlenbergii)

Plantae>Magnoliophyta>Magnoliopsida>Fagales>Fagaceae>Quercus muehlenbergii Engelmann

Chinkapin Oak (Quercus muehlenbergii)

Chinkapin Oak, a medium to large tree sometimes called Yellow Oak, is rare in North Carolina, occuring on calcareous rocky slopes in the Mountains and upper Piedmont.

Hot Springs, Madison Co., NC 5/11/08.

Chinkapin Oak (Quercus muehlenbergii)

In the White Oak group, Chinkapin Oak can quickly be told apart from Chestnut Oak and Swamp Chestnut Oak by the pointed teeth on the leaves. The bark is similar to that of Swamp Chestnut Oak, much different from that of Chestnut Oak. The three similar species may occur in close proximity on slopes, with Swamp Chestnut tending to be at the bottom of a slope, Chinkapin in the middle, and Chestnut at the top.

Hot Springs, Madison Co., NC 5/11/08.

Chinkapin Oak (Quercus muehlenbergii)

Hot Springs, Madison Co., NC 5/11/08.

Chinkapin Oak (Quercus muehlenbergii)

Caswell Co., NC 5/30/10.

Chinkapin Oak (Quercus muehlenbergii)

Leaf underside detail, showing sharply-tipped teeth, unusual for a species in the white oak group.

Caswell Co., NC 5/30/10.

Chinkapin Oak (Quercus muehlenbergii)

The leaf undersides are densely covered with whitish hairs.

Caswell Co., NC 5/30/10.

Chinkapin Oak (Quercus muehlenbergii)

Young stem detail.

Caswell Co., NC 5/30/10.

Chinkapin Oak (Quercus muehlenbergii)

Distinctively toothed leaves with trunk in background.

Caswell Co., NC 5/21/10.

Chinkapin Oak (Quercus muehlenbergii)

Leaves seen from far below.

Caswell Co., NC 5/21/10.

Chinkapin Oak (Quercus muehlenbergii)

The bark is usually somewhat scaly, resembling that of White Oak and Swamp Chestnut Oak.

Bark of a large tree.

Caswell Co., NC 5/21/10.

Chinkapin Oak (Quercus muehlenbergii)

Bark of a multi-trunked large tree.

Hot Springs, Madison Co., NC 5/11/08.

More information:
Bioimages
Floridata
USFS Silvics Manual
Virginia Tech Dendrology

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