The leaves of the shingle oak are regular  shaped and oblong.  They are not lobed,and in this respect differ from all the other native oaks.  They have a wavy margin, are leathery in texture, dark shiny green above and thick velvety underneath.  Leaves are bristle-tipped, 4 to 6 inches long.

The fruit is a nearly round acorn, about 1/2 inch long and covered about halfway with a shallow, turban-shaped cup.

The rather thin bark is divided by shallow fissures into broad ridges of a dark brown color.