Shumard's Oak Quercus shumardii
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- KWER-kus shoo-MARD-ee-eye
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Shumard Oak is a native large deciduous tree in the red oak group in the beech family. It is an attractive tree with a pyramidal shape when young and a more open rounded crown at maturity. The trees can reach 70 feet in height and 40 feet wide. It is tolerant of urban conditions like drought, dry soil, and air pollution. Shumard Oak is relatively fast-growing, adaptable and drought tolerant but also tolerates short-term flooding and wind. The lobed leaves often have nice red fall color.
Plant in average soil in full sun as a shade tree in a large yard, street tree or in parks and other public places.
It is a host plant for the larvae of the Imperial moth (Eacles imperialis), as well as numerous butterflies, including Banded hairstreak (Satyrium calanus), Edward's hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii), Gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus), White-m hairstreak (Parrhasius malbum), Horace's duskywing (Erynnis horatius), and Juvenalis duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis).
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Quercus
- Species:
- shumardii
- Family:
- Fagaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern Canada, Southeastern U.S.A
- Distribution:
- AL , AR , FL , GA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MD , MI , MO , MS , NC , OH , OK , PA , SC , TN , TX , VA , WV Canada: ON
- Wildlife Value:
- Oak trees support a wide variety of Lepidopteran. You may see Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed. Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus), which have one flight from June-August everywhere but Florida where they emerge April-May. Edward's Hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii), has one flight from May-July in the south and June-July in the north. Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), has three to four flights in the south from February-November and two flights in the north from May-September. White-M Hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album) has three broods in the north from February-October. Horace’s Duskywing (Erynnis horatius) has three broods in Texas and the deep south from January-November, and two broods in the north from April-September. Juvenal’s Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis) has one brood from April-June, appearing as early as January in Florida.
- Play Value:
- Shade
- Wildlife Cover/Habitat
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Larval Host
- Wildlife Nesting
- Edibility:
- Acorns are edible once the tannins have been leached or boiled out.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 50 ft. 0 in. - 70 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 30 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Open
- Pyramidal
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Nut
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- Oblong-ovoid acorns occur singly or paired and are 3/4 to 1 1/4 inches long. The cap is shallow, bowl-shaped and scaly covering less than 1/3 of the acorn. Displays from September to October. The tree produces acorns at about 25 years of age. Acorns mature the second year.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Catkin
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Insignificant greenish blooms appear in April as separate male and female catkins.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Margin:
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are up to 7 inches long, with 2 to 4 pairs of pointed lobes with soft, bristle-like tips. Sinuses reaching from 1/2 to 3/4 the distance to the leaf midrib. Shiny dark green above, pale green below with tufts of hair. Red fall color
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Gray
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Furrowed
- Bark Description:
- The bark is thick, smooth and grayish, becoming furrowed and darker gray.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Bud Terminal:
- Cluster of terminal buds
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- The stems are grayish brown, glabrous with clustered terminal 1/4 inch long buds that are grayish brown, smooth or slightly fuzzy.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Riparian
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Native Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Street Tree
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Pollution
- Storm damage
- Urban Conditions
- Wet Soil
- Wind
- Problems:
- Problem for Horses
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Low
- Poison Symptoms:
- Abdominal pain, constipation then diarrhea (occasionally bloody), depression, frequent urination, discolored urine, jaundice; acorns can obstruct the digestive tract
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Gallotannins, quercitrin, and quercitin
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Fruits
- Leaves
