Quercus shumardii #3 (Shumard Oak)

Shumard Oak is a tough and adaptable, medium-sized native shade tree. It is similar in appearance to its close relatives, the Northern Red Oak and Scarlet Oak. It has more of a tolerance to high pH soils, and is able to handle less well-draining sites. The ideal growing conditions are deep, fertile, moist and acidic which will achieve the most rapid growth rate. This tree is commonly used in urban settings due to its relative ease of transplanting, modest size and attractive reddish fall foliage. The growth habit tends to be upright and ascending, even in maturity. This makes it a less wide-spreading choice of Oak for more compact areas, such as near buildings, as a street tree or in smaller residential lawns. Acorns are not produced until the tree reaches at least 25 years of age, but it is a long-lived species up to nearly 500 years!

Species in the Red Oak group, such as Shumard Oak, are unfortunately susceptible to Oak Wilt disease which is a fungal pathogen that is spread by bark beetles. Trees in the Red Oak group should not be pruned or otherwise wounded between April and October, and only clean, sterilized tools should be used. By spreading awareness, taking appropriate measures, and planting for succession, we can help to preserve these incredibly important trees.

Oaks are an ecological keystone genus which is invaluable to the food web and life cycles of insects, birds and other wild creatures. They are host to some 436 species of Lepidoptera, at the very top of the list for our ecoregion. Innumerable bird species rely on Oaks for their bounty of caterpillars and other insects, making them living birdfeeders. Oaks also provide cover, cavities for dens,  roosts, and nesting sites. The acorns are a necessary food supply for birds and mammals alike. Deer and rabbits do tend to browse or strip the bark of young oaks, so protection (especially through winter) is highly advised.

Sources:
Manual of Woody Landscape Plants by Michael A. Dirr
Missouri Botanical Garden
ODNR

Photo Credits:
Mature Individual: Bruce Kirchoff from Greensboro, NC, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Fall Color: David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Acorns: Bruce Kirchoff from Greensboro, NC, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Catkins: Dan Keck from Ohio, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons