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Quercus shumardii is often confused with:
Quercus coccinea Form
Plants that fill a similar niche:
Quercus montana Form
Quercus nigra Quercus nigra
Quercus virginiana Form of mature tree (Seminole County, GA)-Late Spring

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

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. 

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#shade tree#native tree#moth caterpillar host#low maintenance#riparian#fall interest#air pollution tolerant#wind tolerant#NC native#nighttime garden#pond garden#floodplain#pollinator plant#parks#larval host plant#food source fall#food source herbage#Coastal FAC#Piedmont Mountains FAC#bird friendly#dry soils tolerant#food source hard mast fruit#mammals#butterfly friendly#problem for horses#Audubon#banded hairstreak butterfly#gray hairstreak butterfly#imperial moth#juvenal’s duskywing butterfly#edward’s hairstreak butterfly#white-m hairstreak butterfly#horace’s duskywing butterfly#storm damage resistant#long lived#wildlife friendly
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#shade tree#native tree#moth caterpillar host#low maintenance#riparian#fall interest#air pollution tolerant#wind tolerant#NC native#nighttime garden#pond garden#floodplain#pollinator plant#parks#larval host plant#food source fall#food source herbage#Coastal FAC#Piedmont Mountains FAC#bird friendly#dry soils tolerant#food source hard mast fruit#mammals#butterfly friendly#problem for horses#Audubon#banded hairstreak butterfly#gray hairstreak butterfly#imperial moth#juvenal’s duskywing butterfly#edward’s hairstreak butterfly#white-m hairstreak butterfly#horace’s duskywing butterfly#storm damage resistant#long lived#wildlife friendly
  • 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.
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Dark Gray
    Light Gray
    Surface/Attachment:
    Furrowed
    Bark Description:
    The bark is thick, smooth and grayish, becoming furrowed and darker gray.
  • 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.
  • 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
  • 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