PlantFiles: Texas Red Oak, Spanish Oak, Spotted Oak, Red Oak, Rock Oak
Quercus buckleyi

This medium sized oak is related to the Shumard oak, Q. shumardii, and is in the black oak group. The Texas red oak is naturally found in an area located in central Texas. It was originally named Q. texana, which remains a synonym.
It usually reaches a height of 30 feet or more and a width of 30 feet or more. The Texas red oak forms a dense rounded canopy and may also be found as a multi-trunked specimen in the wild. Growing moderately fast, it has thick dark gray to black bark with scaly ridges separated by deep, dark fissures. But sometimes it is light gray and smooth.

Flowers appear during leaf emergence with 5 to 7 inch in length male flowers in the form of catkins (droopy and caterpillar shaped flowers). The female flowers are single or in pairs. It produces acorns which require 2 years to mature.

It is more drought tolerant than the Shumard oak, but less hardy. A culitvar, Q. buckleyi "Red Rock", is hardy to at least the upper teens. This tree tolerates alkaline soil as well as neutral and slightly acidic soil. It is a super shade tree if you do not mind raking leaves in the fall.