Scientific Name
Quercus shumardii ‘Shumard Oak’
Shumard oak is a member of the red oak group, native to the southeastern United States and extending west to Texas and north into Missouri, Kentucky and most of Indiana. It is a large tree, commonly reaching 60 feet in height, while Colorado champions exceed 80 feet with trunk diameters of about four feet. One of the finest specimens in the state can be seen at the Waring House at Denver Botanic Gardens.
It can be confused with several other red oaks, including northern red, black, pin and scarlet oak, because of similarities in leaf shape. Like them, Shumard oak has bristle-tipped lobes, but the sinuses are intermediate in depth, not as deep as those of pin oak but deeper than those of northern red oak. The acorns offer a clearer distinction. Shumard oak produces the largest acorns among these species, about an inch in diameter, slightly elongated, with a shallow cap.
This oak makes an excellent shade tree and can develop strong red fall color, often later in the season. In some years, though, the color may be less impressive, depending on weather conditions. In its native habitat, it commonly grows in lowland areas, which allows it to tolerate periodic flooding and heavier soils. It also adapts better to alkaline conditions than many other oaks and is relatively easy to transplant.