Black oak is a large tree with dark, deeply furrowed bark (inner bark orange-yellow), bristle-tipped leaf lobes, and acorns with a scaly cap. Fall color is often red or brown.
Habitat and range
In Maryland, black oak grows on dry ridges, slopes, and in upland woods, often with other oaks and hickories. It tolerates poor, dry, or acidic soils and is common in the state's drier forests.
Uses and significance
The wood is used for lumber, flooring, and railroad ties. Acorns are eaten by wildlife. Black oak was once a major source of tannin. It is an important component of oak-hickory and dry-site forests.