Black Oak Group: acorns mature in 2 years, small ones usually present on winter twigs, leaves usually have bristle-tipped lobes (except Q. imbricaria, which is bristle-tipped at apex), winter buds generally acute at apex
Size: tree, 60-75' average height and spread at maturity
Buds: .25" long, sharp-pointed, round in cross-section, often with dark band at top of each scale, clustered at twig tips
Leaves: deciduous, alternate, 4.5-8.5" long, 4-6" wide, simple, oval to obovate, 7-11 pointed lobes, shiny dark green on top, grayish-whitish underside
Twigs: stout, greenish to reddish brown, 5-pointed-star-shaped pith
Flowers: monoecious, male flowers in catkins, females in leaf axils, solitary or in small clusters
Fruit: acorn (nuts plus involucre), .75-1" long, roundish, flat thick cap
Bark: brown to black, wide gray ridged with shallow fissures
