Northern Pin Oak

Quercus ellipsoidalis

Pollinator Value

🔑 Keystone: Quercus is among the most ecologically important genera in eastern North America, supporting 401 species of butterflies and moths as caterpillar host plants. Oaks provide a critical food web foundation through foliage for herbivorous insects, which in turn sustain insectivorous birds and other wildlife.
S13 401 lepidoptera species at genus level
❄️ Winter Food Source: Acorns persist into winter and are consumed by Blue Jay, Wild Turkey, Ruffed Grouse, Wood Duck, Red-headed Woodpecker, and other species. Squirrels and deer also cache and consume acorns through winter months, making this genus a cornerstone winter food resource in oak-dominated landscapes.
S57 genus Quercus; S4 acorns biennial

Proximity Score: 3a
Native Status: ❌ Outaouais ❌ Ottawa ❌ QC ✅ ON
Closest Direction: SW
CEC Eco-Regions: 8 – Eastern Temperate Forests, 8.2 – Central USA Plains, 8.2.3 – Central Corn Belt Plains
Rarity Notes: Ranked S3 (Vulnerable) in Ontario and N3 nationally in Canada. Globally secure (G5). Not listed under SARA or COSEWIC. Ontario populations are at the northeastern edge of the species' range, concentrated in southwestern Ontario on sandy soils. The species' restricted Canadian distribution and habitat specificity account for its provincial vulnerability ranking.
S22 G5, N3, S3-ON; S26 not SARA listed; S1 ON-only distribution
Rarity Ranks: ON S3 – Vulnerable
Migration: Stable
Ecological Context: Northern pin oak occupies dry uplands, pine barrens, and oak savannas on sandy, well-drained soils across the upper Midwest and southern Ontario. It is typically found in association with jack pine, black oak, hickory, aspen, and black cherry in open, fire-maintained landscapes. In Ontario, specimens are concentrated in the southwestern counties on sandy glacial deposits.
S4 habitat; S7 Michigan Flora habitats; S48 ON specimen localities

Roles: Insectary Plant, Nutrient Accumulator, Shelterbelter, Wildlife Habitat
S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Insectary Plant: S72 Hemenway (tables: 6-2, appendix_a, pp. 96, 186)] | Nutrient Accumulator: S72 Hemenway (tables: 6-2, appendix_a, pp. 96, 186)] | Shelterbelter: S72 Hemenway (tables: 6-2, appendix_a, pp. 96, 186); S72 Hemenway (tables: 6-2, appendix_a, pp. 96, 186)] | Wildlife Habitat: S72 Hemenway (tables: 6-2, appendix_a, pp. 96, 186)]
Notes: In designed landscapes, northern pin oak functions as a canopy-layer guild anchor for dry, sandy sites. Its deep taproot accesses subsoil nutrients (accumulates calcium) while the open crown allows sufficient light for understory plantings. Best paired with drought-tolerant prairie species and other savanna associates. Avoid dense underplanting with sensitive species as oak leaf litter contains tannins.
S72 Ca accumulator; S29 leaf mulch inhibition; S4 habitat associates

Category: Astringent, Emmenagogue
S29 galls used as astringent; S28 inner bark decoction for suppressed menses
Notes: Menominee peoples used a compound decoction of the inner bark to treat suppressed menses caused by cold. Oak galls, produced by insect larvae, are strongly astringent and were used in the treatment of haemorrhages, chronic diarrhoea, and dysentery.
S28 Menominee Drug, Abortifacient; S29 medicinal uses

✅ Edible

Foraging Notes: Menominee peoples roasted and ground the acorns for a coffee substitute. Acorns can also be leached of bitter tannins by prolonged washing in running water, then dried and ground into flour for bread or used as a thickener in stews. The traditional method involved burying acorns in boggy ground overwinter to reduce astringency.
S28 Menominee Food; S29 edible preparation details