Chinkapin Oak

Quercus muehlenbergii

Fall Leaves Yellow-Orange to Orangish-Brown
Acorns Make Great Wildlife Food
Light Ashy Gray Bark
Adapts to Many Different Soils
Grows 40' to 50' High with Similar Spread
Can't Ship To: AK, AZ, CA, FL, HI, LA, OR

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Zones 4 - 7

Hardiness Zones: Zones 4 - 7
The Chinkapin Oak can be expected to grow in the zones shown in color in the arborday.org zone map.VIEW MAP

ornamental tree

Type of tree:
The Chinkapin Oak falls into the following type(s): Ornamental Trees, Shade Trees

40' - 50' High

Mature Height:
The Chinkapin Oak grows to be 40' - 50' feet in height.

50' - 60' Spread

Mature Spread:
The Chinkapin Oak has a spread of about 50' - 60' at full maturity.

Slow to Medium Growth

Growth Rate:
This tree grows at a slow to medium growth rate. [More about this.]

Full Sun

Sun:
This oak does well in full sun.

Various Soils

Soil:
The Chinkapin Oak grows in acidic, alkaline, drought tolerant, loamy, moist, sandy, well drained, wet, wide range, clay soils.

Rounded Shape

Shape:
This oak has rounded shape.

More Info

Attributes:
The Chinkapin Oak is adaptable to many soil conditions and handles alkalinity very well. As it matures it becomes a magnificent specimen and a conversation piece.

Wildlife Value:
Chinkapin oak acorns are at the top of the food preference list for wild turkeys, grouse, whitetail deer, black bears, chipmunks, squirrels, and hogs. Cattle will eat the leaves.

History/Lore/Use:
The Chinkapin Oak is sometimes called yellow chestnut oak, rock oak, or yellow oak. Early pioneers used its straight wood to make thousands of miles of fences in the states of Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. Later on the trees were used to fuel the steamships that ran from Pittsburgh to New Orleans. It was also used as railroad ties for the new railroads that crisscrossed the Midwest.

Moisture:
The Chinkapin Oak tolerates wet sites, but does best in well-drained areas that do not experience severe drought.

Leaves:
The leaves of the Chinkapin Oak are yellow-green in summer, and yellow-orange brown to brown in fall.

Flower Color:
The blooms are insignificant and brown in color.

Bloom Time:
The Chinkapin oak blooms in May and early June..

Fruit Description:
The Chinkapin Oak produces one-inch round acorns.

A worthy specimen for larger lawns, estates, or parks. A medium to large size oak with 4"-6 1/2" glistening dark green leaves in summer turning yellow-orange to orangish-brown in fall. Produces 1" sweet acorns that mature in a single season. The acorns are at the top of the food preference list for many wildlife species. The bark is an ashy light gray that breaks into narrow, thin flakes. As this species matures, it becomes a magnificent specimen and a conversation piece. Grows 40'-50' high with a similar spread under landscaping conditions, becoming 70'-80' high in the wild. Does best in well-drained soil and adapts to many different soil types. Grow in full sun. (Zones 4 to 7)

		Spring Shipping		Fall Shipping
Color	Zone	Approximate Ship Dates	Order Deadline	Approximate Ship Dates	Order Deadline
	2	04/15–05/30	05/14	11/01–11/26	11/12
	3	04/15–05/30	05/14	11/01–11/26	11/12
	4	04/15–05/30	05/14	11/01–11/26	11/12
	5	04/15–05/30	05/14	11/01–11/26	11/12
	6	03/19–05/12	05/07	11/01–12/03	11/19
	7	03/11–05/07	04/30	11/05–12/10	11/26
	8	02/26–04/30	04/23	11/05–12/10	11/26
	9	02/26–04/30	04/23	11/05–12/10	11/26
	10	02/26–04/30	04/23	11/05–12/10	11/26

We're sorry, but this tree can't be shipped to AK, AZ, CA, FL, HI, LA, OR, WA , territories, or countries outside the U.S. This is due to the agricultural laws within these locations.

When you order trees from The Arbor Day Foundation, your order is guaranteed to arrive in a good, healthy condition or we'll replace them at no charge. Your trees will be shipped at a suitable time for planting.

Each tree is guaranteed to grow, or we'll replace it at one half the original price, plus shipping and handling.

The benefits of bare-root trees

Our trees are delivered with natural bare roots which have been dipped in hydrating gel prior to shipment to keep the roots moist and healthy. As their abundant, fibrous roots aren't confined by a container, bare-root trees get off to a more vigorous start compared to containerized roots which typically need more time to adjust to transplanting. Bare-root trees typically surpass the size of larger containerized trees in only a few years.

	Standard		Dwarf
	Mature Height	Space Needed	Mature Height	Space Needed
Apple	20' - 25'	35' x 35'	10' **	10' x 10' ++
Peach	20'	20' x 20'	8' - 10'	10' x 10'
Sweet Cherry	30'	20' x 25'	12' - 15'	10' x 10'
Sour Cherry	20'	20' x 20'	8'	10' x 10'
Pear	20'	20' x 20'	12' - 15'	12' x 12'
Apricot	20'	20' x 20'
Plum	20'	20' x 20'	8' - 10'	10' x 10'
			** semi-dwarf 12' - 15' ++ semi-dwarf 12' x 12'

Natural Root and Containerized Trees

Natural root (also called bare root) trees are shipped without soil around their roots. They are shipped when dormant in the spring and fall seasons. We dip the roots in a hydrating gel to keep them moist during shipping.

There are a number of advantages to natural root trees:

They are very affordable.
Their roots re-establish themselves well once they are planted in their permanent location.
They are easy to plant at the correct depth.

The Urban Horticulture Institute at Cornell University has an interesting article about the benefits of planting natural root trees. Look for the PDF entitled Creating the Urban Forest: The Bare Root Method

Potted (also called containerized) trees come in 4" containers.

If you have questions, please call (888) 448-7337 or E-mail Member Services.

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