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Red (or Black) Oak Group - Beech Family

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Trees on this Page


Buckley's Oak Quercus buckleyi (or Quercus texana)
Shumard Oak Quercus shumardii (or Quercus texana)
Texas Red Oak Quercus shumardii var. texana (or Quercus texana)
Southern Red Oak (Spanish Oak) Quercus falcata
Water Oak Quercus nigra
Blackjack Oak Quercus marilandica (Quercus X marilandica [marilandica X shumardii])
Bluejack Oak Quercus incana



Texas Red Oak, view

Photo taken in Taylor County, Texas, November 2005


The scientific name of this species is in dispute.
I need to look at specimens A & B again, in all seasons, to determine species and variation.


Fagaceae - Beech family
Shumard Oak Quercus shumardii (or Quercus texana)
(Native of Texas - Taylor, Callahan, Coleman, Brown, Runnels)


Tree: Up to 50-90 feet tall. Pyramid shape. Trunk often buttressed at the base. Lower limbs horizontal.
Bark: Thick, grayish, smooth but furrows and darkens with maturity.
Twigs:
Leaf: 2"-7" long. Leaves have 5-9 deep squared lobes with small, sharp teeth, wide spaces between lobes. Vein points are soft. Dark green shiny top, pale green bottom with hair tufts on vein axils. New leaves have red tint. Leaves turn scarlet in autumn.
Look-a-likes: Quercus buckleyi
Buds: smooth brown.
Flower:
Acorn: 3/4"-1" long, egg-shaped.
Cup: Shallow cup. Covers 1/3-1/2 nut.
Notes: Not drought tolerant.

Tree Close-ups

Specimen A

Possibly Quercus shumardii. Tree about 40 feet tall. Trunk 12" wide, branching near base. Leaves about 6" long, pointed lobes and deep rounded sinuses, prominent veins.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, April 2005

Texas Red Oak, Quercus texana, A   Texas Red Oak, Quercus texana, A (2)

Specimen B

Possibly not Quercus shumardii. Tree about 30 feet tall. Trunk 12" wide, branching near base. Very wide leaves about 6" long, pointed lobes and deep rounded sinuses, prominent veins. Acorn is light brown, 3/4" long and narrow, no peduncle. Cup has wide scales, flat reddish apex. Bark brownish gray, fissures are not deep.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, November 2005

Texas Red Oak, Quercus texana, B (2)   Texas Red Oak, Quercus texana, B   Texas Red Oak, Quercus texana, B (3)   Texas Red Oak, Quercus texana, B (4)   Texas Red Oak, Quercus texana, B (5)

Variation

Texas Red Oak Quercus shumardii var. texana (or Quercus texana)
Smaller leaves with 5 lobes. Smaller acorns. Hairy red buds.
(Native of Texas, central)

Specimen A

Quercus shumardii var. texana. Tree about 40 feet tall. Trunk 16" wide, branching near base. Leaves about 4" long, pointed lobes and deep rounded sinuses, prominent veins. Acorn is light brown, 1/2" long, no peduncle, flat apex. Cup has wide scales, flat reddish apex. Scaly bark brownish gray.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, April 2005, November-December 2005, March 2006

Texas Red Oak, Quercus shumardii var. texana, A (1)   Texas Red Oak, Quercus shumardii var. texana, A   Texas Red Oak, Quercus shumardii var. texana, A (3)   Texas Red Oak, Quercus shumardii var. texana, A (5)   Texas Red Oak, Quercus shumardii var. texana, A (6)   Texas Red Oak, Quercus shumardii var. texana, A (15)   Texas Red Oak, Quercus shumardii var. texana, A (8)   Texas Red Oak, Quercus shumardii var. texana, A (10)   Texas Red Oak, Quercus shumardii var. texana, A (9)   Texas Red Oak, Quercus shumardii var. texana, A (18)   Texas Red Oak, Quercus shumardii var. texana, A (7)

Similar Species

Buckley's Oak Quercus buckleyi (or Quercus texana)
Leaves narrower. Space between lobes is not so wide.
(Native of Texas - Taylor, Callahan, Coleman, Brown, Nolan)


Tree: Up to 50 feet tall. Often multi-trunked.
Bark: Dark gray, smooth but furrowed in ridges on lower trunk and old branches
Twigs: Grayish to brownish.
Leaf: 2"-5" long, broader at the tip. Leaves have 5-9 squared lobes with small, sharp teeth. Vein points are stay very long when leaf matures. Dark green shiny top, pale green bottom with hair tufts on vein axils. New leaves have red tint. Leaves turn red, or brown in autumn.
Look-a-likes: Quercus shumardii
Buds: Grayish to brownish, ovoid.
Flower:
Acorn: 1/2"-3/4" long, egg-shaped. Reddish.
Cup: Shallow cup. Covers 1/3-1/2 nut. Pointed scales.
Notes: Drought tolerant.


Fagaceae - Beech family
Southern Red Oak (Spanish Oak) Quercus falcata
(Native of Texas, east - not listed in my area)


Tree: Up to 90 feet tall with a trunk of 4 feet wide. Crown is open with spreading branches.
Bark: Dark gray, scaly ridges and deep narrow furrows.
Twigs: Reddish brown sometimes with gray pubescent hairs.
Leaf: 5"-9" long. Young trees have 3 lobes and shallow sinuses, older trees have 5-7 lobes and deeper sinuses. Wide base lobes with a very long narrow terminal lobe. Shiny green above, paler and fuzzy below. Leaves turn red in autumn.
Look-a-likes:
Buds: Dark reddish brown, pointed, 1/8"-1/4" long, pubescent.
Flower: Male flowers are yellow-green on catkins. Reddish female flowers are tiny on short spikes.
Acorn: 1/2" long, short, orange-brown, pubescent. Fruit takes 2 years to ripen.
Cup: Shallow cup. Covers 1/3 nut. Appressed scales are orange-brown, slightly pubescent.
Notes: Likes well drained soil but is not drought tolerant.

Tree Close-ups

Specimen A

Quercus falcata. Tree 70-80 feet tall. Trunk 18" wide. Leaves about 7"-8" long, pointed lobes and deep rounded sinuses.

Photos taken in Smith County, Texas, November 2006

Southern Red Oak, Quercus falcata, KO (3)   Southern Red Oak, Quercus falcata, KO   Southern Red Oak, Quercus falcata, KO (1)   Southern Red Oak, Quercus falcata, TRG (1)   Southern Red Oak, Quercus falcata, KO (10)   Southern Red Oak, Quercus falcata, KO (7)   Southern Red Oak, Quercus falcata, KO (8)   Southern Red Oak, Quercus falcata, KO (9)   Southern Red Oak, Quercus falcata, KO (5)


Fagaceae - Beech family
Water Oak Quercus nigra
Leaves can be spatula or lanceolate shaped on the same branch.
(Native of Texas, east - not listed in my area)


Tree: Up to 80 feet tall.
Bark: When young bark is smooth and gray-brown, older trees are blackish with patchy scaly ridges.
Twigs: Reddish brown.
Leaf: 2"-4" long. Variable shape from spatulate to lanceolate, 0-5 lobes, margin entire or bristle tipped. Top and bottom glabrous. Leaves turn yellow and orange in autumn.
Look-a-likes:
Buds: Multiple at tip, reddish brown, angular, pointed.
Flower: Male flowers are on catkins. Female flowers are tiny on spikes.
Acorn: 1/2" long, very dark. Fruit takes 2 years to ripen.
Cup: Shallow cup. Covers 1/3 nut. Appressed scales.
Notes: Likes wet soil, not drought tolerant. Fast growing. Susceptible to trunk cankers and heart rot.

Tree Close-ups

Specimen A

Quercus falcata. Tree 70-80 feet tall. Trunk 18" wide. Leaves about 7"-8" long, pointed lobes and deep rounded sinuses.

Photos taken in Smith County, Texas, November 2006

Water Oak, Quercus nigra, VZ, B (4)   Water Oak, Quercus nigra, VZ, A   Water Oak, Quercus nigra, VZ, A (1)   Water Oak, Quercus nigra, VZ, A (2)   Water Oak, Quercus nigra, VZ, A (3)


Fagaceae - Beech family
Blackjack Oak Quercus marilandica (Quercus X marilandica [marilandica X shumardii])
(Native of Texas, east, central & southern - Taylor, Jones, Shackelford, Callahan, Coleman, Brown)


Tree: Usually a shrub but can grow to 60 feet tall. Slow growing.
Bark: Dark brown or black, rough, block-like plates; inner bark orange-ish.
Twigs: Gray brown, hairy.
Leaf: 3"-7" long. They become wider at apex with large shallow lobes (footprint). Veins are prominent and end in points. Young leaves have a red tint. Dark green leaves turn brown in autumn.
Look-a-likes: Q. stellata and Q. margarettiae
Buds: Tan, conical or narrow ovoid, 3/8" long, 5 angles in cross section.
Flower: Male flowers are 2"-4" long, yellow-green catkins. Female flowers are red, tiny.
Acorn: 3/4" long. Light brown. Takes 2 years to ripen.
Cup: Covers 1/3-2/3 of the nut. Reddish. Solitary or in pairs with almost no peduncle. Scales are loose.
Notes: Drought tolerant and likes sandy, barren soils. Once used in the ease of cramps and to aid in childbirth.

Tree Close-ups

Specimen A

Quercus marilandica. All I found were saplings. This one was about 3 feet tall. Leaves about 6" long, become wider at apex with large shallow lobes (footprint). Veins are prominent and end in tiny points. Dark green leaves turn orange/brown in autumn.

Photos taken in Van Zandt County, Texas, November 2006

Blackjack Oak, Quercus marilandica, VZ   Blackjack Oak, Quercus marilandica, VZ (1)   Blackjack Oak, Quercus marilandica, VZ (2)


Fagaceae - Beech family
Bluejack Oak Quercus incana
(Native of Texas, east & central - not listed in my area)


Tree: Grows naturally as a multi trunked shrub but can grow to 30 feet tall.
Bark: Dark gray, very rough, furrowed into squares.
Twigs: Gray, hairy.
Leaf: 2"-4" long. Simple linear with a bristle tip. Shinny blue-green on top, dull blue/white hair underneath.
Look-a-likes: Young plants may have lobes like a Water Oak.
Buds: Dark brown, sharp.
Flower: Male flowers are 2"-4" long, yellow-green catkins. Female flowers are red, tiny.
Acorn: 1/2" long. Nut is slightly fuzzy and striped. Takes 2 years to ripen.
Cup: Covers 1/4-1/2 of the nut. Reddish. Solitary or in pairs with almost no peduncle. Scales are loose.
Notes: This is a sand loving oak of Coastal Plains. Tolerates drought. Does not tolerate shade.

Tree Close-ups

Specimen A

Quercus incana. Tree about 30 feet tall. Trunk 12" wide. Leaves about 4" long. This tree was planted at a local hospital.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, October 2008

(cultivated)

Bluejack Oak, Quercus incana, A   Bluejack Oak, Quercus incana, A (1)   Bluejack Oak, Quercus incana, A (2)   Bluejack Oak, Quercus incana, A (3)   Bluejack Oak, Quercus incana, A (6)   Bluejack Oak, Quercus incana, A (4)   Bluejack Oak, Quercus incana, A (5)   Bluejack Oak, Quercus incana, A (8)

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