Chinkapin oak is a member of the white oak group with chestnut-type leaves. Unlike most white oaks, it is tolerant of alkaline soil and needs a pH >7. It is an attractive tree that does best in moist to dry well-drained soil but adapts to different soil types. Its light gray bark and branch structure provide a nice silhouette in winter. A long taproot makes it difficult to transplant. Acorns are produced annually and birds and mammals are attracted to them. It is a host plant for the larvae of the Imperial moth ( Eacles imperialis ) , as well as numerous butterflies, including Banded hairstreak ( Satyrium calanus ) , Edward's hairstreak ( Satyrium edwardsii ) , Gray hairstreak ( Strymon melinus ) , White-m hairstreak ( Parrhasius malbum ) , Horace's duskywing ( Erynnis horatius ) , and Juvenalis duskywing ( Erynnis juvenalis ) . This tree is not often used in cultivation and may be difficult to find, but would make a good shade or street tree. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Relatively pest free including resistance to oak wilt.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil pH
Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry
Available space
more than 60 feet
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 40 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in. | Width: 50 ft. 0 in. - 70 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
1 - Canopy (>40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Open; Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green; Red/Burgundy
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Oblanceolate; Oblong; Obovate
Leaf margin
Dentate; Lobed; Undulate
Leaf feel
Glossy; Leathery
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, 3-6 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
4- 8 in. shiny green leaves have a smooth upper surface and dull under surface and may have white hairs. Margins are described as either small-lobed or toothed and may or may not be wavy. The tip is pointed (acute) and the base is rounded or acute. Fall color is variable from yellows to browns.
Fall color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow
Flower color
Gold/Yellow
Flower form
Catkin; Insignificant
Flower detail
Pollen flowers in drooping, elongated clusters. Female flowers short-stemmed in axils of the leaves.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Nut
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
1/2-1 inch long oval light brown acorns are produced annually with 1-2 acorns per stem. They have a thin grey pubescent cup that covers 1/4- 1/2 of the nut.
Bark color
Light Gray
Bark detail
The bark is thin, light gray, rough and irregularly fissured.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Gray/Silver; Orange
Stem detail
Orange-brown twigs change to brown on the current year’s growth with scattered white lenticels.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
S. Ontario to Central & Eastern U.S.A., North Eastern Mexico
Distribution
AL , AR , CT , DC , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , NE , NJ , NM , NY , OH , OK , PA , SC , TN , TX , VA , VT , WI , WV. Found in an entire half of the continental US from New Mexico, Nebraska and Minnesota eastwards.
Wildlife value
Mildly resistant to deer. Many mammals and birds are attracted to the acorns. Oak trees support a wide variety of Lepidopteran. You may see Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed. Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus), which have one flight from June-August everywhere but Florida where they emerge April-May. Edward's Hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii), has one flight from May-July in the south and June-July in the north. Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), has three to four flights in the south from February-November and two flights in the north from May-September. White-M Hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album) has three broods in the north from February-October. Horace’s Duskywing (Erynnis horatius) has three broods in Texas and the deep south from January-November, and two broods in the north from April-September. Juvenal’s Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis) has one brood from April-June, appearing as early as January in Florida.
Attracts
Butterflies; Moths; Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Nuts
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Nut
Edibility
Acorns (nuts) are edible after tannins are leached or boiled out.
Uses (ethnobotany)
Wood has many uses including barrels, fencing, crossties, fuel and occasionally furniture.