Chinkapin Oak is a medium to large deciduous tree with coarsely toothed leaves resembling those of the chinkapin, from which it gets its name. It prefers well-drained, often calcareous or rocky soils on bluffs, ridge tops, and limestone outcrops across the eastern and central United States. Its sweet acorns are produced annually in good quantity and are a favorite food of deer, turkeys, and squirrels. The tree supports a rich insect community and is an important component of upland hardwood forests.
Habitat
Rocky bluffs, limestone outcrops, ridge tops, dry upland slopes
Diet
Acorns eaten by deer, wild turkey, squirrels, and blue jays; larval host for hundreds of moth species
How common
Common
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