Shingle Oak is a deciduous tree native to Eastern North America. It has a symmetrical, conical to rounded crown and the leaves are not lobed as many oak trees are. Lower branches are widely spreading or slightly drooping while upper branches are upright. It tolerates a wide range of soil types and prefers well-draining soil. It is not salt tolerant. Makes a good shade or street tree and is mildly deer resistant. Strong wood keeps this Oak from suffering storm damage, and it can tolerate drought, acidic soil and full sun. 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 ) . Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Insect pests include scale and two-lined chestnut borer. Oak wilt is a potential disease problem. Galls caused by mites or insects are common, but not harmful.
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) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry | Occasionally Wet
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 50 ft. 0 in. - 70 ft. 0 in. | Width: 50 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
1 - Canopy (>40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Broad; Conical; Erect; Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Lanceolate; Oblong
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Glossy; Leathery
Leaf value
Edible
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Leaves are 3 to 6 inches long and 3/4 to 2 inches wide, glossy green with paler, sometimes pubescent undersides and they often persist into winter. Fall color is variable from yellow-brown to russet red. Broadly lance-shaped and unlobed with a single terminal bristle tip.
Fall color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow; Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Flower form
Catkin; Insignificant; Spike
Flower detail
Yellow-green male flowers are in drooping, elongated clusters. Female flowers are in spikes
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Nut
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
The round acorn is 0.5 to 0.75 inches with thin scaley cups covering about 1/3 of the nut. It does not mature until the second year.
Bark color
Dark Brown; Dark Gray; Light Gray
Bark detail
Greyish-brown bark with shallow fissures and ridges with age. Pinkish inner bark.
Stem color
Brown/Copper
Stem detail
Branch bark is gray and more smooth, while twigs are brown and glabrous with scattered lenticels.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Eastern and mid USA
Distribution
AL , AR , DC , DE , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , MI , MO , MS , NC , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , TN , VA , WV. Found from a few eastern states through the midwest.
Wildlife value
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. Very high wildlife value. Many birds and mammals eat the acorns. It is a host plant to several moths and skippers. Many insects are attracted to the tree, which in turn provides food for birds and other insect-eating animals.
Attracts
Butterflies; Moths; Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds
Play value
Buffer; Screening; Wildlife Food Source
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)
Early North American settlers used this tree to make roof shingles.