This week: The Gift of Pin Oaks đ
Hello!
Itâs the holiday seasonâChristmas Day, to be exact, and Iâd like to thank you for subscribing, sending notes with questions and topic suggestions, and of course, hitting that âBuy Me a Coffeeâ button at the bottom of the newsletter. It means a lot to me that youâre a reader!
To show my appreciation, Iâve included a downloadable coloring page with two variations: relax by coloring a botanical illustration of a Pin Oak or pick the nature journal version. Download the PDF here. For the nature journal version, find a Pin Oak (you can identify them this time of year by their sturdy fallen leaves and small acorns) and record your observationsâno drawing skills required! Now, onto the newsletter, which is coincidentally about the mighty Pin Oak (Quercus palustris).
Why Plant a Pin Oak?
Oaks are famously a keystone plant, which means they have a disproportionately large effect on their environment compared to their size. Oak trees are the larval host for over 400 types of moths and butterflies and support other beneficial insects, mammals, and birds. Oaks also positively impact the watershed and contribute to cooling temperatures, among other benefits.
Other than the benefits of adding a keystone plant to your landscape, what makes the Pin Oak an attractive choice for a homeowner? First, it is a medium-sized oak, topping out between 50 and 70 feet tall. Itâs only slightly taller than a maple. Long-lived but faster growing than other oaks, a Pin Oak planted for shade wonât overwhelm a typical-sized yard. Youâll often see them in planned landscapes like parks, around buildings, and of course, planted in lawns.
Keeping Pin Oaks Healthy
Pin Oaks do best in soil with a pH less than 6.0âmore acidic than neutral. Unfortunately, traditional turf grass prefers soils with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. So, if you are treating the lawn with fertilizer to achieve that perfect golf course pH, your Pin Oak will get sick. The solution to this problem? Prioritize the Pin Oak (and the watershed) over the grass and donât fertilize.
Identifying Pin Oaks
Pin Oaks are a type of red oak. In northern North America, oaks are predominantly red or white oaks. Red oaks have bristlesââpinsâ on the tips of the leaf whereas white oaks leaves are rounded. You can tell a Pin Oak leaf from other red oak leaves because the Pin Oak has deep sinusesâin other words, a trim, shapely waistline. The other key to identification is the acorn. Pin Oak acorns are tinyâa quarter to a half-inch wide and tall, and the bowl of the cap is shallow. One last visual check: the lower branches of Pin Oaks sweep downward.
So, improve the environment for generations and plant an oak tree!
On the Holiday Theme:
Are you a yuletide bayberry candle burner? Refresh your memory of Bayberry fun facts by rewinding to the October newsletter.
Have a great week!
Julie