I never really paid attention to this tree in my back yard, looking at the bark I always thought it was a white oak. Today I noticed the leaves, and I'm pretty sure it's a Chinkapin Oak. I didn't realize we had them around here, let alone in my yard. LOL
Agreed, leaves too wide and rounded for chinkapin oak. White oak family is correct, and I think Chud called it correctly with swamp chestnut oak. (###############)
Leaves remind me of chestnut oak around here. Not sure if same as swamp chestnut though. Any pics of the bark? Always cool to "discover" new trees in your back yard. One reason ill never tire of walking through my woods.
Looking at the Missouri Dept of Conservation site, Swamp Chestnut doesn't extend up to northern Missouri, only in the bootheel. Of course that doesn't mean it can't be here. Looking up the leaves, there's several images on the internet that show slimer leaves, and also larger size for chinkapin. It seems the swamp chestnut have rounded lobes, without the little spines like this one has. Here's a close up of a leaf. Of course I'll go with the consensus.
Looks like it to me as well, I don't want to misrepresent it. Swamp Chestnut is fun to say also. Now I wonder what other trees are nearby that I'm not familiar with.
Who cares? How does it split, dry and burn??? Just kidding. As a retired Pennsylvania DCNR forester this is an excellent post/thread. Obviously this species does not grow in PA, but interesting to me. And the scientific name, Quercus michaux. We do have a State Forest named Michaux in PA and on that is an old CCC camp Michaux, where my father was the postmaster and store keeper in the 1930's.
Hopefully it won't get burned in my lifetime, but it's in the white oak family, so it's probably good! Glad this thread led to some good family memories. A quick search of Michaux, shows a brand new brewery next to the state forest, called.... Michaux Brewing Company. Sounds like something to toast to!
I am only aware of chestnut oak, not swamp chestnut oak here in NJ and it doesn't have bark like that at all - rather very deep furrows and not flaky.
X2. If i saw the SCO id assume its "normal" white oak as the bark is very similar and i didnt check the leaves.