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Tree and Shrub Gallery

Red Oak Group - Beech Family

Trees on this page

Texas Red Oak (Texas Oak, Spanish Oak, Buckley's Oak) Quercus texana  --  Quercus buckleyi  --  Quercus shumardii var. texana (Quercus nuttallii, Quercus rubra)

Southern Red Oak (Spanish Oak) Quercus falcata

Water Oak (Spotted Oak, Possum Oak) Quercus nigra

Blackjack Oak (Iron Oak) Quercus marilandica (Quercus X marilandica [marilandica X shumardii])

Ashe's Blackjack Oak Quercus marilandica var. ashei (Q. neoashei)

Hybrids on this page

Hastings' Oak Quercus X hastingsii [texana (buckleyi) X marilandica (shumardii)]

Photo taken in Taylor County, Texas, November 2005

Fagaceae - Beech family

Texas Red Oak (Texas Oak, Spanish Oak, Buckley's Oak) Quercus texana  --  Quercus buckleyi  --  Quercus shumardii var. texana (Quercus nuttallii, Quercus rubra)

The scientific name of this species is in dispute.

(Native of Texas, Taylor)

Group: Red Oak

Tree: Up to 75 feet tall.  Often multi-trunked.

Bark: Dark gray to black, plate-like scales (but sometimes smooth and light gray).

Twigs: Grayish to reddish brown (rarely yelowish).

Leaf: 2"-6" long.  Leaves have 5-9 deep squared lobes with small, sharp teeth.  Vein points.  New leaves have red tint.  Leaves turn red, orange, or brown in autumn.

Buds: Gray to reddish brown, ovoid, 1/4" long.

Flower: Male flowers are 1"-3 1/2" long, red-brown catkins.  Female flowers are tiny at ends of stems.

Acorn: 1/2"-3/4" long, egg-shaped. Reddish.

Cup: Shallow cup.  Covers 1/3-1/2 nut.  Pointed scales.

Notes: Drought tolerant.

Possible Hybrids in my area

Hastings' Oak Quercus X hastingsii [texana (buckleyi) X marilandica (shumardii)]

Leaves have deep sinuses like Q. texana.

Tree Close-ups

Tree A: Quercus texana.  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

Tree B: Quercus texana.  Tree about 30 feet tall.  Trunk 12" wide, branching near base.  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

Tree C: Quercus 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 & November & December 2005

Fagaceae - Beech family

Southern Red Oak (Spanish Oak) Quercus falcata

(Native of east Texas)

Group: Red Oak

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.

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

Tree 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

Fagaceae - Beech family

Water Oak (Spotted Oak, Possum Oak) Quercus nigra

Leaves can be spatula or lanceolate shaped on the same branch.

Photos taken in Van Zandt County, Texas, November 2006

(Native of east Texas)

Group: Red Oak

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.

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

Tree 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

Fagaceae - Beech family

Blackjack Oak (Iron Oak) Quercus marilandica (Quercus X marilandica [marilandica X shumardii])

(Native of Texas, Taylor)

Group: Red Oak

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.

Possible Variations

Ashe's Blackjack Oak Quercus marilandica var. ashei (Q. neoashei)

Shorter tree.  Leaves are 2"-4" long.  Leaves can be "footprint", "rounded diamond", "cross", pointed lobes, or some of all.

Possible Hybrids in my area

Hastings' Oak Quercus X hastingsii [marilandica (shumardii) X texana (buckleyi)]

Tree Close-ups

Tree 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

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