Wood: Although
this species is not abundant enough to be a commercially important
timber tree, the wood was once used for split-rail fences, railroad ties
and construction lumber. The wood is heavy, hard, strong, close-grained
and durable, and is excellent for fuel.
Wildlife: The nuts are eaten by white-tailed deer, squirrels, raccoons, turkey, quail and many other wildlife species.
Horticulture: The chinkapin oak, although a medium-rate grower, grows faster than most other white oaks and matures at a smaller size. It makes a handsome shade tree and, when mature, has attractive, bold, scaly, gray branches and trunk. The chinkapin oak and dwarf chinkapin oak readily hybridize, leading some authorities to name the chinkapin Q. prinoides var. acuminata. The photograph shows the second chinkapin oak (green dot on map on species page) located northwest of Ross Hall.
