# Shumard oak (Quercus shumardii)

> A tall, straight red oak (50-90 feet) with deeply lobed leaves that turn scarlet in fall, more upright and faster-growing than its cousin the Texas red oak. It is a popular street and lawn tree across the South and tolerates clay and short floods, but in Austin it wants deeper, well-drained soil than the rocky west side offers.

Source: https://treerm.org/trees/quercus-shumardii · Updated 2026-11-08 · License CC BY 4.0

## Facts

- Also called: Shumard red oak, Swamp red oak
- Family: Fagaceae
- Type: Broadleaf, loses its leaves in winter
- Mature height: 20 m; spread 12 m
- Growth: Medium growth
- USDA hardiness zones: 5 to 9
- Light: Full sun
- Water: Moderate water
- Soil: Deep, well-drained sand, loam or clay; tolerates limestone and brief flooding but prefers deeper soil than Texas red oak
- Native range: Southeastern and south-central United States from Pennsylvania to north Florida, west to Kansas and central Texas

**Benefits:** Shade, Fall color, Wildlife, Birds, Drought tolerant, Long lived, Flood tolerant

**Good for:** Street tree, Yard shade, parks

**Watch out for:** Pest prone, Large roots

## Care

Plant in fall or winter in deep soil and water weekly the first two summers. Very susceptible to oak wilt: prune only in deep winter or the heat of summer, paint cuts right away, and avoid wounding. Otherwise adaptable and relatively disease resistant. Rake acorns and leaves in fall.

## Where it stands

- **Native:** United States (Also native in: IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MI, MO, OH, PA, VA, WV (USDA PLANTS distribution)); AL, United States; AR, United States; FL, United States; GA, United States; LA, United States; MS, United States; NC, United States; OK, United States; SC, United States; TN, United States; TX, United States
- **Recommended:** Toronto, ON, Canada (On the City of Toronto Species Planted on Streets list); Sacramento, CA, United States (On the Sacramento Tree Foundation Shady 80 recommended trees list); San Jose, CA, United States (On the Our City Forest Community Nursery tree species list); Denver, CO, United States (On the Denver Office of the City Forester Approved Street Tree List); Washington, DC, United States (On the Casey Trees Tree Rebate eligible species list); Atlanta, GA, United States (On the Trees Atlanta Top 50 Atlanta Trees list); Austin, TX, United States (On the 2026 TreeFolks NeighborWoods tree menu (City of Austin / Austin Energy free tree program) as 'Shumard Oak', large stature tree. Menu warns it is susceptible to oak wilt; prune only in winter.); Dallas, TX, United States (On the City of Dallas Article X Approved Tree List); Houston, TX, United States (On the City of Houston Planning and Development Department Street Tree List)

## Sources

- https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile/QUSH
- https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=QUSH
- https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/quercus-shumardii/
- https://www.treefolks.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/NeighborWoodsTreeMenu-2026.pdf
- https://www.austintexas.gov/watershed-protection/plant-guide/oak-texas-red