Shurmard oak
Quercus shumardii Buckley
  • FAMILY: FAGACEAE
  • ALTERNATE COMMON NAME:
  • LEAVES: deciduous, alternate, simple; petioles to ca. 2” long, blades to ca. 6” long by 4.5” wide, usually with 7 lobes (3 lobes per side plus terminal lobe), lobes incised ca. half-way to midrib, at least some sinuses C-shaped; leaf bases truncate; upper surfaces dark green and lustrous, lower surfaces paler but still bright green and glabrous except for tufts of hairs in leaf vein axils
  • FLOWER: unisexual, plants monoecious, male flowers in catkins, female flowers inconspicuous, born singly or in short few-flowered axillary spikes
  • FRUIT: acorn, ca. 0.8” long by 0.6” wide, ovoid to oblong; cupule saucer-shaped cup with flat base, embracing ca. 1/3 of the acorn
  • TWIGS: twigs of the season dark reddish brown, glabrous; buds lance-ovoid, to ca. 0.3” long, tips acute, scales glabrous
  • BARK: smooth, tight, medium gray; bark of larger trees furrowed with whitish flattened ridges
  • FORM: large tree to ca. 130’ tall, trunk well-formed, crown open
  • HABITAT: most abundant on calcareous clay soils, also found on loess soils, which are subcalcareous, and in other rich-soil forests
  • WETLAND DESIGNATION: Facultative (FAC): Occurs in wetlands or non-wetlands of the Atlantic and Gulf Coast Plain Region
  • RANGE: southeastern US (very broadly) [USGS Range Map]
  • USES: excellent wood quality and color, though mixed in with lower quality red oaks; wood used for furniture, flooring, interior trim, veneer, cabinetry, lumber; ornamental
  • WILDLIFE: important hard mast producer
  • Best Recognition Features:
    1. tight smooth gray bark; bark of larger trees with whitish flattened ridges
    2. leaves with numerous lobes and bristle tips, sinuses often C-shaped
    3. lower leaf surface glabrous, except for tufted hairs in vein axils
    4. shallow acorn cap with flat base