Species of valuable North American bottomland timber tree of the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains and Mississippi Valley region, growing 24-36 meters in height, with branches rising at narrow angles from a columnar trunk to a round, compact head. It has silver-white, red-tinged bark and bright green, glossy leaves, velvety and whitish beneath, usually 20 cm in length and turning red in autumn. Swamp chestnut oak is often called "cow oak," because the acorns are eaten by cattle, or "basket oak" from local use of the wood strips for basket material. It was formerly considered a variety of Q. prinus ("rock chestnut oak" or simply "chestnut oak"). Q. michauxii is typically more massive than Q. prinus. A quick way to distinguish the two species is by habitat; if the tree grows on a ridge, it is probably Q. prinus; if it grows in wet bottomlands, it is probably Q. michauxii.
