57. Shumard Red Oak

Specimen Size: 64.1ft tall, 22.25in in diameter.

Location: Growing in Red Square up against Gerberding Hall, exhibiting an impressive show of persistence in their narrow swathes of soil.

Historical Background: Named for Benjamin Franklin Shumard (1820-1869), state geologist of Texas in 1860, this species calls the southern United States home and is remarkable for its energetic growth and retaining leaves late into fall. Unlike regular red oak, its acorns and leaves are modest sized, but ultimately it grows just as large. It is often mixed with other oaks during lumber processing for commercial uses. 

Non-native

Native Range: Southern United States 

Identifying Features: This tour has already covered several beautiful oaks so some of the features of this one will stand out as a common theme of that grand genus in general (although of course there are different types of general oak phenotype). There are of course the acorns, on the Shumard oak they have a shallow thick cap covering just the edge of the acorn, which turns from green to brown when mature and displays black striations from base to pointed tip. On this tree the acorns are on short stalks and often borne in pairs. Its leaves are rich green, and like the true red oak seen earlier on this tour, expresses lobes with pointed tips. The leaves of this species are however generally smaller and have far more regular lobes, usually 5-7 opposite one another on a far more symmetrical leaf. The tips of the lobes are bristly, with many toothlike tips. It may also be confused for the Texas red oak in its native range, but that species is generally more tolerant of drought or rocky conditions.

Identifying Features In Depth:

1. Form: A large tree with a tall main trunk and many large branches creating a very open rounded crown. Grows to a height of about 100’ (30m).

2. Leaves: leaves are simple and alternate on the branch. They are obovate with 5-7 deeply incised lobes with major lateral pinnate veins culminating at acuminate (tapering to a slender point) bristly tips. These toothlike tips line the lobes margins of these leathery dark green leaves, which are smooth on top and from 5-8” (12-20cm) long. The petioles are slender and about 2” (5cm) in length. In autumn, this red oak is of course red-reddish purple in color. 

3. Bark:  Grayish brown and smooth when young, ageing with narrow fissures and becoming almost black in some cases with age. Twigs remain smooth and grey through life, with pointed terminal buds.

4. Reproductive Bodies: Fruit is born of course as an acorn, found in pairs on short stalks on this tree. They are ¾ -1 ¼” (2-3cm) long, barrel shaped with a flat bottom in a shallow cup with a thick brown cap. The tip of the acorn, like other acorns, sports a sudden rounded point.