Black oak (Quercus velutina) is a deciduous tree of the red oak group of oaks. In the northern part of its range, black oak is a relatively small tree, reaching a height of 20-25 meters and a diameter of 90 centimeters, but it grows larger in the south and centre of its range, where heights of up to 42 meters are known.

The leaves of the Black oak are alternately arranged on the twig and are 10-20 centimeters long with 5-7 bristle tipped lobes separated by deep U-shaped notches. The upper surface of the leaf is a shiny deep green, the lower is yellowish-brown.

The fruits or acorns of the Black oak are small and almost as wide as they are long. The upper half of the nut is covered by a cap of loose scales that often form a fringe around the acorn.

The inner bark of the Black oak contains a yellow pigment called quercitron, which was sold commercially in Europe until the 1940s.