Shumard Oak

Quercus shumardii

Size: 3, 7 & 15 Gallon Availability

Tree
Max size: 70’ tall x 40’ wide
Average size: 60′ tall x 40′ wide

Usually Moist, Moist to Dry
Clay, Loam, Sand
Sun
No Salt Tolerance

This deciduous tree has a beautiful red fall color and inconspicuous blooms in early spring. The acorns ripen in the fall and are edible if you process them properly. It is tolerant to short-term flooding as well as short-term drought.

It provides food and shelter for many small animals. The acorns are also excellent food for wildlife; they’re consumed by songbirds, wild turkeys, waterfowl, white-tailed deer, and others. (1) It is a larval host for the white-m hairstreak and Horace’s duskywing.

The bark of the oak can be used to make dyes and paints. The barks and galls have also long been used to create a permanent ink. Oak medicines are incredibly varied; they contain tannin, which has been shown to be antiviral, antiseptic, and antitumor; various Indigenous practices worldwide have ascribed medicinal uses to various parts of the tree.