There's no doubt that this is an oak? If so, then it will have to be one of the species producing leaves without lobes - and able to grow in Indiana. Does your tree have any acorns you can show?

Here is a picture of it's acorns. These are a year old still left at the base of the tree, so they're a bit worse for wear.

Probably a laurel oak.

These leaves do look very much like a laurel oak's! Thanks bboy.

One thing does make me question whether this could be a laurel oak though...it's size. This tree is really really big, and everything I have read about laurel oaks says they only live 50-75 years before suffering from rot damage and often falling over in wind.

How about Q. imbricaria? The damage could be caterpillar damage. not to worry.

accidental repost

This post was edited by GiantSycamore on Wed, Aug 7, 13 at 20:18

Jacobson, NORTH AMERICAN LANDSCAPE TREES (1996, Ten Speed, Berkeley) characterizes Q. hemisphaerica as a "large, round-headed tree". American Forests does have a big one in its current list.

Here is a link that might be useful: Quercus hemisphaerica

Q. imbricaria or the "shingle oak" seems like the most likely candidate thus far. It fits the growing conditions just right. My only reservation is that the bark seems a little off. Could just be the online pictures I'm finding though.

They are native to your state so...maybe you can find some more to compare. nice find!

Whoa, a 261 inch sand laurel oak. That would be bigger than mine for sure, so I suppose it could still be a laurel. The leaves are almost impossible for me to distinguish between the sand laurel and the shingle.

You don't say where you are in Indiana - but I'd venture to say that there isn't a region in that state amenable for any of the southern oaks mentioned (Quercus hemisphaerica, Quercus laurifolia) to grow to that kind of stature.

I agree with dricha - that's a Shingle Oak (Quercus imbricaria) for sure. This species is native throughout the Ohio River valley watershed - and almost every county in Indiana. The size of the leaf is a good separating feature for Shingle Oak from the more diminutive leafed oaks with elliptical lobeless leaves, as are the much larger acorns of Shingle Oak in comparison.

Another pretty common trait to Shingle Oak is marcescence - the characteristic of holding the previous season's leaves through the winter, after they've turned brown. While a good screening trait where that function is needed, it can be annoying to those who are fastidious about their tree's looks and about wanting to clean up all leaves in the fall.

Shingle Oak is native in Louisville/Jefferson County, and in surrounding counties here in central KY. There are large specimens around, reaching 48"+ DBH.

Well I'm from a little place called Washington Indiana (you've only heard of it if you know who the Zeller family is) which is only about 2 hours from louisville/Jefferson county, so the Shingle sounds about right. I'd say that I'm willing to accept it's a shingle unless someone can provide me with another oak who's leaves look like this. Thanks everyone!

Regardless - show us more of this impressive specimen!

One shot of foliage and some old acorns is little succor to those who crave: the whole tree, more leaves, branches, trunk, and some new/maturing acorns of this season.

And - it never hurts to have a human in the image for scale.

While I've never been to your town, I have been to Vincennes a number of times - and a national conference is soon to be held in your vicinity.

The Holly Society of America will hold its 66th Annual Meeting in New Harmony, IN in early November 2013. Tours will include sites as far and wide as Evansville and Vincennes - and who knows where else in the wilds of southwest Indiana.

Check it out at http://www.hollysocam.org/ for more details.

"Another pretty common trait to Shingle Oak is marcescence - the characteristic of holding the previous season's leaves through the winter, after they've turned brown. While a good screening trait where that function is needed, it can be annoying to those who are fastidious about their tree's looks and about wanting to clean up all leaves in the fall. "

Every winter I run past a house with a tree that has leaves in the dead of winter (brown) and I've always thought it looked like an oak... i bet this is what it is.. I'm right by the Mississippi River here in southwest WI...