New York Metropolitan Flora

Common Names

Shingle Oak

---

General Discussion

Quercus imbricaria Michx. Hist. Chenes Am. No. 9, t. 15, 16. 1801.

This medium-sized oak of section Lobatae is native to the east central United States including southern New Jersey up to Burlington County. There is one voucher from 1949 in southern Middlesex County, but its cultivated status is uncertain. Also there is a report only from Mercer County (Hough, 1983). However, no naturally occuring specimens have been observed in the NYMF range. Shingle oak might eventually be found in Mercer, Middlesex or Monmouth Counties, but for now this species is excluded from the flora. It has entire leaves, similar to Q. phellos, but wider and the abaxial side is uniformly covered with tomentum.