Oak ID

[mxjamie540]

Well I have been helping my FIL take down 5 trees, with the 6th to come down Sunday on his property. All the trees are of teh same species and I beleive they are what is known as "water" oak. They definetly smell like oak when split. Here is a couple of pictures. I am looking for confirmation on my suspiscion. They have an elongated oval leaf, not like the regular red or white oak type leaves, but I have also been told by a buddy that it is still an oak.

Thanks

 

[waynek]

IMHO. Oblong leaves and tree cut in Southern Illinois would indicate a Shingle Oak. Water Oak is found several hundred miles south of Illinois and the leaves generally are broad with three lobes and taper to stem.
jackpine

 

[JeffRey30747]

The dead leaves on the ground in your picture don't fit your description but they look like pin oak to me. Jackpine is probably right on with shingle oak. If you could post a pic of the leaf you are describing, it would be easier for me. Oak bark can look so similar that it isn't easy for me to differentiate the species.

 

[mxjamie540]

nah, all the dead leaves on the ground are from my neighbors massive pin or red oak, it is easily 3 1/2 foot at the base. I get all his leaves against my chain link fence


after looking at pictures of a shingle oak..... I am positive that is what I have.

 

[smokinj]

I call it white oak

 

[OpenWater]

How does it split? Like SmokinJay, I was thinking white oak when I saw the pictures. I don't have a ton of experience with white oak, but the white oak I have split has been tougher to split for me than most species. Sometimes the stuff is stringy and takes some effort to split.

Chris

 

[miles220]

well he does not know how it splits because his buddy has to come split it for him@! ha. well as for the water oak....we do have them in SO. Ill. they fill our bottom grounds...the one that is a little more elusive to us is th swamp oak. i agree with the shingle oak. also you can see the leaf in the first picture...it is on a twig right in the center of the pic, kind of blends in.