It is a close relative of the California black oak (Quercus kelloggii) found in western North America.

The leaves of the black oak are alternately arranged on the twig and are 10–20 cm (4–8 in) long with 5–7 bristle-tipped lobes separated by deep U-shaped notches.

[5] Some key characteristics for identification include that leaves grown in the sun have very deep U-shaped sinuses and that the buds are velvety and covered in white hairs.

The staminate flowers develop from leaf axils of the previous year and the catkins emerge before or at the same time as the current leaves in April or May.

The pistillate flowers are borne in the axils of the current year's leaves and may be solitary or occur in two- to many-flowered spikes.

The fruit, an acorn that occurs singly or in clusters of two to five, is about one-third enclosed in a scaly cup and matures in 2 years.

These soils are derived from glacial materials, sandstones, shales, and limestone and range from heavy clays to loamy sands with some having a high content of rock or chert fragments.

At the western limits black oak is often found only on north and east aspects where moisture conditions are most favorable.

[citation needed] Common small tree associates of black oak include flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum), sassafras (Sassafras albidum), eastern hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana), redbud (Cercis canadensis), pawpaw (Asimina triloba), downy serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea), and American bladdernut (Staphylea trifolia).

Common shrubs include Vaccinium spp., mountain-laurel (Kalmia latifolia), witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), beaked hazel (Corylus cornuta), spicebush (Lindera benzoin), sumac (Rhus spp.

[9][10] In forest stands, black oak begins to produce seeds at about age 20 and reaches optimum production at 40 to 75 years.

Black oak acorns from a single tree are dispersed over a limited area by squirrels, mice, and gravity.

It is less tolerant than many of its associates such as white and chestnut oaks, hickories, beech (Fagus grandifolia), maples, elm, and blackgum.

Most black oak sprouts under mature stands develop crooked stems and flat-topped or misshapen crowns.

These buds may be stimulated to sprout and produce branches by mechanical pruning or by exposure to greatly increased light, as by thinning heavily or creating openings in the stand.

Usually scattered individuals or small groups of trees are killed, but areas several hectares in size may be affected.

Shoestring root rot (Armillaria mellea) attacks black oak and may kill trees weakened by fire, lightning, drought, insects, or other diseases.

Cankers caused by Strumella and Nectria species damage the holes of black oak but seldom kill trees.