Quercus montana (prinus) (chestnut oak)

Chestnut oak is a medium to large shade tree in the white oak family that reaches 65–145' tall. It has a broad open and irregular crown, chestnut-like foliage and dark reddish-brown to dark gray mature bark with deep v-shaped furrows (the thickest of any eastern North American oak). Because of its high tannin content, the bark was once used for tanning leather. 

Chestnut oak is native to the eastern U.S., where it is one of the most important ridgetop trees from southern Maine southwest to central Mississippi. Native habitat includes sandy, gravelly, and rocky, dry upland soils, but it reaches its greatest size on well-drained lowland sites. Its acorns––among the largest of native American oaks––are a food source for turkey, rough grouse, songbirds, deer, and small mammals. The tree supports a wide variety of butterflies and moths. 

Photo by Bruce Kirchoff, licensed under Creative Commons, no changes

BONAP Native Range Map (bright green indicates county native, dark green indicates state native).  

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