Fairly rare in the wild in Durham County, NC. Found in swamps, as the name palustris indicates. There are a few at the Butner Game Lands near Falls Lake. Commonly planted.

The smooth leaves are distinguised by their deep sinuses. Scarlet Oak (Q. coccinea) also has deep sinuses, but grows in uplands. Shumard Oak (Q. shumardii) also grows in swamps, but is slightly less deeply sinused and has more pairs of lobes. Bark and form are similar to that of Willow Oak (Q. phellos).