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Native Plant Society of Texas

Shumard Oak

Quercus shumardii

Other common name(s):

Shumard Oak, Shumard's Oak, Shumard Red Oak, Southern Red Oak, Swamp Red Oak, Spotted Oak

Family:

Fagaceae (Beech Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Carbonate Cross Timbers, Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
Bastrop Lost Pines, Floodplains and Low Terraces2, Northern Post Oak Savanna, Northern Prairie Outliers, San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie
Floodplains and Low Terraces3, Pleistocene Fluvial Terraces, Red River Bottomlands, Southern Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Tree

Height

30
to
120
ft.

Spread

50
to
60
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Caliche, Clay, Deep, Dry, Limestone, Loam, Moist, Sand

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Medium

Native Habitat

Riparian, Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Green, White

Bloom Season

Spring

Seasonal Interest

Fall Color, Larval Host, Nuts

Wildlife Benefit

Birds, Butterflies, Small Mammals

Maintenance

An attractive shade tree. Similar to the Texas Oak (Quercus buckleyi), but prefers deeper soils and tends to grow taller and straighter. Can hybridize. A very adaptable oak with a relatively fast growth rate. This species is drought tolerant and also withstands short-term flooding. It is in the red oak group and therefore more susceptible to oak wilt. Prune only during the hottest and coldest months. Paint pruning wounds to help prevent oak wilt. Foliage provides attractive fall color. Native habitat: moist forests and stream banks.

Description

Blooms March-May. A columnar trunked tree, with pyramidal crown, becoming more open at maturity. Bark is thick, smooth and grayish, becoming furrowed and darker gray. Leaves grow up to 7 inches long, with 2 to 4 pairs of pointed lobes and tips, and a woolly surface on lower leaf vein axils. Tiny flowers are arranged on a catkin. Larval host: Horace’s Duskywing Butterfly.

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) Miller, George O., Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas 2nd Ed., 2013, pg 48. 3) Wasowski and Wasowski, Native Texas Plants Landscaping Region by Region, 1991, pg. 344. 4) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=QUSH. 5) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Quercus+shumardii&formsubmit=Search+Terms. 6) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=11986&locationType=County&mapType=Normal. 7) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=19417#null

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed No Treatment Best if sown immediately as acorns lose viability quickly in storage. Plant immediately outdoors or in deep containers to accomodate long initial taproot. They sprout immediately without dormancy period. Soaking seeds in hot water for at least 15 minutes helps to prevent weevil infestation. After the soaking plant directly into a large container. The Shumard oak grows best in moist but well-drained loamy soils Best quality acorns are picked or shaken from the tree. Collect when color has changed to brown. Seed may be floated in water to help determine viability. Seed that floats is normally poorly filled and has low or no viability. Floaters are discarded, while the seed that sinks is retained for planting. 1) https://apps.cals.arizona.edu/arboretum/taxon.aspx?id=838#:~:text=Cultivation%20Notes:%20Like%20most%20oaks,a%20low%20toxicity%20(1). 2) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=QUSH 3) https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/plantmaterials/wvpmcot12018.pdf
Stem Cutting Dip the cuttings in rooting hormone to stimulate root developent and increase the chances of success when propagating. It helps to accelerate the rooting process, which is beneficial for the relatively slow-rooting oak species. Trays are used to hold the potting mix and maintain the cuttings in a controlled environment. They allow for ease of transport during the propagation process. Enrich the planting site with compost and ensure that the soil has good drainage and the appropriate pH level to foster robust growth in shumard oak. Placing a clear plastic dome over the propagation tray creates a greenhouse-like environment with high humidity, which is beneficial for the cuttings of shumard oak to prevent them from drying out before they can establish roots. Maintain consistent moisture, but avoid over-saturation. Allow the soil to dry out slightly between watering to prevent rot. Once the cutting of shumard oak has established roots, gradually introduce it to less humid conditions by opening the plastic bag or humidity dome for increasing periods each day. After a week, remove the cover completely. Transplant the rooted cutting to a larger pot filled with standard potting soil and ensure it receives full sun to partial shade. Water the young shumard oak deeply to encourage deep root growth, allowing the soil to dry slightly between waterings. Protect from extreme weather conditions and pests, and supplement with fertilizer according to shumard oak's growth stages and the soil's nutrient content. Select disease-free branches for cutting propagation. Ensure the cuttings are from vigorous and healthy parts of the parent plant to increase the chances of successful propagation. 1) https://www.picturethisai.com/care/propagate/Quercus_shumardii.html#:~:text=Shumard%20oak%20can%20be%20propagated,or%20seed%20is%20kept%20moist. 2) https://apps.cals.arizona.edu/arboretum/taxon.aspx?id=838#:~:text=Cultivation%20Notes:%20Like%20most%20oaks,a%20low%20toxicity%20(1).

About the Region

2026 Fall Symposium Logo

This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason