Freefall Pin Oak

Freefall Pin Oak (Quercus palustris 'Freefall') is a weeping oak scaled for a real backyard, reaching about 8m tall and 4m wide instead of the 20m of the common pin oak. Branches arch from a central leader and cascade toward the ground, and the deeply cut leaves colour bronze to deep scarlet before dropping to let winter sun through. It is a proper shade tree for a garden with no room for a giant.

Why you'll love it

• Autumn colour worth planting for. The lobed foliage colours late and holds for weeks, which is unusual in a tree this size.
• A weeping habit on a compact frame. At roughly 8m by 4m it brings movement and structure without the scale of a standard pin oak.
• Quick to get going. It puts on height fast for an oak, so you are not waiting a decade for useful shade.
• Copes with difficult ground. Frost hardy, wind tolerant and drought tolerant once settled, and it accepts soil that stays wet after heavy rain.

Where it works best

Shade over a small garden. One tree above a seating area throws dense summer shade and hands the light back in winter. Allow about 4m of clear ground around the trunk so the outer branches can hang properly.

Driveways and avenues. Repeated along a drive the arching branches read as a run of green fountains. Space trees about 5m apart so each canopy keeps its own shape rather than merging into a tunnel.

Feature planting. Alone in lawn it earns the space, because the weeping outline reads from every angle and looks as good bare in July as in leaf.

Growing Freefall Pin Oak in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun. This is a cool temperate and warm temperate tree, and colour is strongest where autumn nights turn genuinely cold, so southern, tableland and inland gardens get the best display. Warm coastal gardens see a shorter, more bronze show. It is not a tree for tropical or subtropical zones.

Soil. Deep, moist, slightly acidic ground suits it best. Pin oaks dislike strongly alkaline soil, where new leaves yellow between the veins. Dig a wide hole rather than a deep one, work compost through the backfill, and mulch 75mm deep clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak weekly through the first two summers, then only in long dry spells. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring suits a young tree, and established ones rarely need feeding.

Pruning. Very little. Keep a single central leader as it develops, lift the lowest branches only if you need to walk beneath it, and remove crossing wood in winter while the structure is visible.

What to expect when it arrives

This oak is grown in one size, a 45L container tree, so you are buying real height and a formed leader rather than a whip. It travels upright and is delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost.

Arriving bare in winter is normal for a deciduous tree, not a fault. Expect a quiet first season while the roots move out, then strong growth from the second spring. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare options in our deciduous tree range.
• Browse more plants with strong autumn colour.
• Read about the best trees for lining driveways in Australia.
• Get the timing right with the best time to plant a tree.

Common questions

Does it produce acorns?

Mature trees carry small acorns, though a young specimen may take years to bear any. Acorns are toxic to dogs and cats in quantity, so rake them up where pets forage.

How close can I plant it to paving?

Leave about 3m between the trunk and any path, driveway or wall. The canopy needs that clearance to develop evenly.

Will it grow in Brisbane or Perth?

Perth and the cooler south west suit it well. Subtropical Brisbane sits outside its comfortable range: it will live, but growth is weaker and the autumn display brief.