The Trees at Keele
Pin Oak Quercus palustris
Pin Oak is a native of NE and central USA and, as its scientific name suggests, is naturally a wetland tree growing in marshland or poorly-drained soil.
It is very similar in leaf to Scarlet Oak. In that species the indentations in the leaf (sinuses) are like a slightly squashed "C" whereas in this species they are a broad "U" shape. Also this species has tufts of brown hairs in vein axils on the underside where as Scarlet Oak has few hairs beneath.
The autumn leaf colour tends to be more bronzy unlike Scarlet Oak which turns red.
Location : one donated tree planted below Firs Hill; square M10; tag 1006.