Leaf Color Range Leather tanners were quick to discover the advantage of using this tree’s bark. It has a high tannin content and is widely used in leather tanning. The tree gets its name from its chestnut-like foliage. It is also called “rock oak.” Often found in the mountain areas of western Pennsylvania, it can also be found in the parks and wooded hillsides of Pittsburgh. Height: 60’-80’ with a broad, open, irregular crown. Leaves: 4”-8” long, 2”-4” wide. Alternate, simple. Shiny green above, dull gray-green and sparsely hairy beneath, turning yellow in autumn. Habitat: In moist soils of lowlands, floodplains or bottom lands of streams. Sometimes in pure stands from Maine to Florida and west to Louisiana.