Oak, Shumard
Quercus shumardii
Fagaceae - Beech and Oak
Description
Leaves: Alternate; simple; 6" to 8" long; deciduous; margin with 5 to 9 lobes; openings between lobes extending more than halfway to the midrib; lobes bristle-tipped with many coarse teeth; good deep red fall color; petiole slender.
Twigs/buds: Twigs gray to gray-brown, hairless; greenish-brown and sheathed like an onion when older. Buds pale grayish-brown, hairless; somewhat egg-shaped, large (1/4" to 3/8" in length); scales overlapping, appearing waxy.
Flowers/fruit: Monoecious. Fruit an acorn; 3/4" to 1-1/4" long, red-brown, ovoid, short or no stalk; base covered with thick, saucer-like cap covered with small, shingle-like scales; matures in two seasons.
Bark: Dark gray, relatively smooth; becomes deeply furrowed.
Wood: Important; like Q. rubra; a member of the red oak group which has the following characteristics: heartwood brown with some red, sapwood almost white; pores usually open and not plugged with tyloses (unlike the white oak group); heavy; old-growth wood finer-textured and softer than second-growth wood; high drying shrinkage; used for lumber, veneer, pulpwood, fuel, flooring, millwork, furniture, pallets, boxes, caskets, handles, wooden ware, agricultural implements, boats, and railroad cars; can be used for railroad ties, fence posts and mine timbers when treated with preservatives.
General: Native to eastern and southeastern U.S. on moist sites. Tolerates high soil pH and some drought. Intermediate shade tolerance.
Landscape Use: Used similarly to pin oak, but less prone to iron chlorosis. Good fall color. Rarely planted in Utah but could be more; hard to find. Zones 5-9.
Comments & Limitations: Acorns can be a nuisance.
Characteristics
General
Family | Fagaceae - Beech and Oak |
---|---|
Cultivar Availability | No |
Hardiness Zone | 5-9 |
Type | Broadleaf |
Utah Native | No |
Growth
Growth Rate | Medium |
---|---|
Mature Height | High |
Longevity | High |
Is Good Under Power Lines | No |
Crown Shapes | Pyramidal |
Ornamental
Bark | No |
---|---|
Fall Color | Yes |
Flowers | No |
Foliage | Yes |
Fruit | No |
Tolerance
Shade | Medium |
---|---|
Salt | Medium |
Drought | High |
Poor Drainage | Medium |
Alkalinity | High |
Transplanting | Medium |