Schneck's Oak

Shumard oak
Shumard's red oak
Shumard red oak

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United States and Canada is available at NatureServe.

More info for the term: tree

Shumard oak is a large, deciduous, native tree. It ranges up to 120
feet (40 m) in height, with trunk diameters of up to 80 inches (200 cm)
[9,33,38,45]. The crown is open and wide spreading, with massive,
ascending branches. The trunk of older trees is heavily buttressed.
The bark is furrowed, with broken ridges [38]. The leaves are
five-lobed to nine-lobed. Shumard oak acorns are egg-shaped,
approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) long, and enclosed in a thick, flat,
saucer-shaped cup with pubescent scales [11].

Shumard oak is long-lived; the oldest Shumard oak found on a blue
ash (Fraxinus quadrangulata) savanna was 480 years of age [10].

Shumard oak occurs on the Atlantic Coastal Plain from North Carolina
south to northern Florida; west to central Texas; north to central
Oklahoma, eastern Kansas, Missouri, southern Illinois, western and
southern Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee. It occurs locally north to
southern Michigan, and southern Pennsylvania [9,11,25]. Specimens have
been collected from extreme southwestern Ontario and the eastern Niagara
peninsula [38].

The status of Shumard oak in Maryland is uncertain. It has been
reported in Maryland by reliable sources [9], but specimens were not
located by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Fish and Wildlife Service
survey [47].

More info for the terms: fire exclusion, fire regime, hardwood, top-kill, tree

Specific information on the relationship of Shumard oak and fire was not
found in the literature. Shumard oak occurs in bottomland hardwood
forests which are dependent on fire exclusion [43]. It also occurs in
post oak (Quercus stellata)-blackjack oak communities which, though they
can be damaged by fire, are fire resistant [42]. Shumard oak occurs in
blue ash savannas, which are maintained by a combination of factors
including fire [10].

Shumard oak is probably moderately resistant to immediate fire damage,
but, like many hardwoods, is subject to attack by disease when wounded
by fire. Basal wounding usually results in at least top-kill of such
trees, either by girdling the tree or by creating avenues for infection
by wood-rotting fungi. Top-killed Shumard oak produce root sprouts [40].

Shumard oak is not usually found in early seral communities and is
therefore unlikely to colonize early postfire communities.

FIRE REGIMES :
Find fire regime information for the plant communities in which this
species may occur by entering the species name in the FEIS home page under
"Find FIRE REGIMES".

More info for the terms: cover, hardwood, prescribed fire

Management of Shumard oak as deer browse in Ashe juniper woodlands
includes prescribed burning of previously chained sites. These sites
should be burned with hot fires, with intervals of at least 7 to 10
years between fires [3]. Prescribed fire on chained Ashe juniper sites
removed dead Ashe juniper debris and killed young Ashe juniper trees.
Over 10 years, Shumard oak was one of three dominant secondary species
which provided browse and cover for game birds and white-tailed deer
[40].

Shumard oak occurs in bottomland hardwood forests, which are not usually
subjected to prescribed fires since the risk of fire damage is high. It
also occurs on sites where pines, particularly loblolly pine (Pinus
taeda) and shortleaf pine (P. echinata), are the desired species.
Prescribed fire is used to control hardwoods on these sites when the
pines have reached pole size or larger [43].

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More info for the term: phanerophyte

Phanerophyte

Shumard oak grows best on moist, well-drained loamy soils on terraces,
colluvial sites, and adjacent bluffs associated with large and small
streams. Shumard oak also occurs in Coastal Plains hammocks [26].
Shumard oak is intolerant or only weakly tolerant of flooding [2,19],
and does not usually occur on the lowest river bottoms [18]. It is
fairly drought tolerant, and is tolerant of alkaline soils and their
associated nutrient deficiency [11]. It can be planted in soils with pH
greater than 7.5 [2,21]. In central Texas, it occurs on dry, low
limestone hills. In the south-central United States, it occurs on dry
uplands and ridges [26].

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This species is known to occur in association with the following cover types (as classified by the Society of American Foresters):

More info for the terms: hardwood, swamp

26 Sugar maple - basswood
40 Post oak - blackjack oak
52 White oak - black oak - northern red oak
53 White oak
62 Silver maple - American elm
66 Ashe juniper - redberry (Pinchot) juniper
67 Shin (Mohrs) oak
75 Shortleaf pine
76 Shortleaf pine - oak
80 Loblolly pine - shortleaf pine
81 Loblolly pine
82 Loblolly pine - hardwood
91 Swamp chestnut oak - cherrybark oak
93 Sugarberry - American elm - green ash
94 Sycamore - sweetgum - American elm

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This species is known to occur in the following ecosystem types (as named by the U.S. Forest Service in their Forest and Range Ecosystem [FRES] Type classification):

FRES12 Longleaf - slash pine
FRES13 Loblolly - shortleaf pine
FRES14 Oak - pine
FRES15 Oak - hickory
FRES16 Oak - gum - cypress
FRES17 Elm - ash - cottonwood
FRES18 Maple - beech - birch
FRES32 Texas savanna
FRES39 Prairie

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This species is known to occur in association with the following plant community types (as classified by Küchler 1964):

More info for the term: forest

K084 Cross Timbers
K086 Juniper - oak savanna
K099 Maple - basswood forest
K100 Oak - hickory forest
K101 Elm - ash forest
K111 Oak - hickory - pine forest
K112 Southern mixed forest
K113 Southern floodplain forest

More info for the terms: fire severity, severity, top-kill

Information concerning fire severity and damage to Shumard oak is
lacking in the literature. Mature trees are probably intermediate in
resistance to low- and moderate-severity fires. Severe fires would
probably top-kill or kill mature trees. Seedlings and saplings are
likely to be killed by any fire.

In Texas, Shumard oak is preferred browse for white-tailed deer in Ashe
juniper (Juniperus ashei) woodlands [3].

Shumard oak acorns are excellent food for wildlife; they are consumed by
songbirds, wild turkeys, waterfowl, white-tailed deer, and various
species of squirrels [11].

More info for the terms: forest, tree

Shumard oak is usually widely spaced and never occurs in pure stands
[33]. It occurs with the more prominent southern oaks included in the
oak-hickory forest region described by Braun [46].

Common tree associates not previously mentioned include white ash
(Fraxinus americana), shagbark hickory (Carya ovata), shellbark hickory
(C. laciniosa), mockernut hickory (C. tomentosa), bitternut hickory (C.
cordiformis), water hickory (C. aquatica), Delta post oak (Quercus
stellata var. paludosa), willow oak (Q. phellos), water oak (Q. nigra),
southern red oak (Q. falcata var. falcata), blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica),
winged elm (Ulmus alata), magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), yellow-poplar
(Liriodendron tulipifera), American beech (Fagus grandiflora), and
spruce pine (Pinus glabra) [11].

More info for the term: tree

Tree

More info for the terms: forest, seed

Shumard oak can be successfully direct seeded or planted as seedlings
[20,39]. Soil fertilization does not improve establishment success
[39]. Height growth of direct-seeded Shumard oaks is slow compared to
that of planted stock; growth rates are sufficient to achieve wildlife
Habitat management objectives but not for timber production [1].

Acorns with a moisture content below 20 to 30 percent are not likely to
germinate [48]. Seed moisture for Shumard oaks can be measured by using
microwave ovens [7].

Diseases of Shumard oak include oakleaf blister, oak wilt, and various
wood rotting fungi (Fomes spp., Polyporus spp., and Stereum spp.) [11].

Insect defoliators that attack Shumard oak, but are not species
specific, include June beetles, orange-striped oakworms, cankerworms,
forest tent caterpillars, yellow-necked caterpillars, variable oakleaf
caterpillars, and red-humped oakworms [11]. Shumard oak acorns are
subject to attack by acorn weevils [26].

Nutritional values (percent dry weight) for Shumard oak acorns are as
follows [8]:

crude fat 9.8
total carbohydrates 29.3
total protein 3.8
phosphorus 0.06
calcium 0.27
magnesium 0.06

AL AR FL GA IL IN KY KS LA MD
MI MS MO NC OH OK PA SC TN TX
VA WV ON

Shumard oak is planted as an ornamental [38].

Shumard oak acorns are bitter, but are edible if the tannins are leached
out. They can be ground and used as flour, roasted and ground to make
coffee, or eaten whole [12,22]. Native Americans had many uses for the
bark and acorns of oaks, probably including Shumard oak [22].

Shumard oak acorns were intermediate in palatability to fox squirrels
when compared with those of eight other southern oaks [30].

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Shumard oak flowers from March to April, and as late as June in some
parts of its range [9,11]. Acorns ripen from September to October of
their second year [11].

More info for the term: top-kill

Hot fires will stimulate root sprouting in Shumard oak, presumably after
top-kill [3,40].

Tree with adventitious-bud root crown/soboliferous species root sucker

More info for the terms: seed, stratification

Minimum seed-bearing age for Shumard oak is 25 years. Optimum seed
production occurs at about 50 years of age. Good seed crops are
produced every 2 to 3 years [11]. The acorns are frequently multiseeded
(an unusual trait). Seeds are dispersed by seedhoarding mammals (mainly
squirrels) [11]. Acorns exhibit internal dormancy, which is broken by
cold, moist conditions. Moist stratification at 36 degrees Fahrenheit
(2 deg C) for 8 to 12 weeks breaks dormancy. The acorns typically
contain about 40 percent moisture at maturity [8]. Factors affecting
seed germination and seedling establishment include microclimate
conditions, soil moisture, and stand variables. The limiting factor
appears to be seed supply, which may be affected by seed predation
[11,26]. Full light is required for good seedling establishment and
growth [11].

Shumard oak sprouts from the roots when top-killed [3]. This ability is
more pronounced in younger individuals. Shumard oak is not a prolific
sprouter on moist sites; more sprouts are found on dry sites. It is
difficult to propagate by cuttings [26].

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This species can be found in the following regions of the western United States (according to the Bureau of Land Management classification of Physiographic Regions of the western United States):

14 Great Plains

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More info for the terms: climax, forest, hardwood, swamp

Shumard oak is intolerant of shade but is rare in early successional
stands. It often occurs in climax forests. Since Shumard oak is shade
intolerant and requires openings in which to establish, it is not
considered a true climax species [11]. Monk [27] classifies Shumard oak
as a climax exclusive: a species which occupies specific environmental
situations in the climax community and is rarely encountered in
successional stands. It is likely that Shumard oak colonizes gaps in
mature forests. In Florida, Shumard oak occurs in climax magnolia-beech
forests [15]. In Missouri, it occurs as an overstory associate on river
bottom ridges occupied by sugar maple (Acer saccharum), pawpaw (Asimina
triloba), sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), and swamp chestnut oak
(Quercus michauxii). There were no Shumard oak seedlings or saplings in
these stands [31]. In Texas, Shumard oak was found in 47-year-old
bottomland hardwood stands and undisturbed adjacent forest, but not in
early successional stands [29].

It is likely that mature Shumard oak produces allelopathic substances [11].

The currently accepted scientific name for Shumard oak is Quercus
shumardii Buckl. (Fagaceae). It is a member of the red oak group (subgenus
Erythrobalanus) [11,25,38,52]. Varieites include [52]:

Quercus shumardii Buckley var. schneckii (Britton) Sarg., Schneck oak
Quercus shumardii Buckley var. shumardii, Shumard oak
Quercus shumardii Buckley var. stenocarpa Laughlin, Shumard oak
Shumard oak forms hybrids with at least nine other species of oaks [11,25,45]. It
is most closely related to blackjack oak (Q. marilandica) and black oak
(Q. velutina), as determined by electrophoresis [17].

Shumard oak had one of the highest survival rates of nine oak species
planted on minespoils in Illinois [4]. It exhibited outstanding growth
on cast overburden in Illinois and Indiana [37]. In Mississippi,
reforestation of agricultural lands to bottomland hardwoods was
successful with direct-seeded Shumard oak (in addition to other
species). Sites were seeded without preparation. Weeds were controlled
on one site, where Shumard oak had better growth and survivorship than
at the other sites [1].

Shumard oak seedlings have been planted successfully in reforestation
projects on eroded ridgetops in Mississippi [14].

Shumard oak wood is close-grained, hard, strong, and heavy [45]. This
wood is superior to that of other red oaks; it is marketed as "red oak",
and is not distinguished commercially from red oak species. The wood is
used for veneer, cabinets, furniture, flooring, interior trim, and
lumber [11,45].