Quercus texana (nuttallii) New Madrid

Quercus texana New Madrid is a variety of Texas Red Oak selected for its denser, narrower crown that becomes more rounded with age. It is a remarkable deciduous tree, fast-growing and imposing, appreciated for its large, deeply lobed leaves that are highly decorative and turn beautiful shades of red and orange in autumn. It is a hardy species that thrives in full sun, ideally in heavy, fertile, and moist soil that is neutral to acidic. This oak makes a magnificent specimen, to be showcased in a park or large garden, either as a standalone tree or lined along a wide avenue.

The New Madrid Texas Red Oak belongs to the Fagaceae family. Its wild ancestor, known as Quercus texana, Quercus nuttalli, or Nuttall oak, is native to the southeastern United States. It is closely related to Quercus palustris. In the wild, this species often establishes on heavy, clayey, poorly drained soils that are dry in summer but always lime-poor. The New Madrid cultivar can reach a height of 20 to 25 meters with a spread of 10-12 m (33-39ft). This tree has a generally pyramidal habit with more or less horizontal branches. The leathery, deeply cut leaves with 7 to 9 pointed lobes somewhat resemble those of maples. They can grow up to 20 cm (8in) long. When they emerge in spring, they are copper-red. They become glossy green during summer and then turn brownish before displaying magnificent autumnal hues, persisting on the branches until early winter. This oak blooms early in spring and produces after two years striated, reddish-brown acorns, 1.5 to 2.5 cm (1in) wide. Its trunk is straight and initially covered with smooth, gray-brown bark that becomes black and furrowed over time. The branches are grayish-brown. This oak has a taproot but does not root very deeply. It can live for 90 to 120 years in a garden.

The New Madrid oak thrives in any rich, preferably acidic soil in an open position where it can be seen from a distance. It is cultivated as an ornamental tree in parks and large gardens, where it can fully express its potential as a shade tree or large specimen tree. It develops more harmoniously when grown in sheltered conditions with minimal competition. Why not pair it with Taxodium distichum (Bald Cypress) or Nyssa sylvatica (Black Gum), which require nearly the same growing conditions? Two fern species such as Onoclea sensibilis (Sensitive Fern) in neutral to acidic and moist soil, in full sun to partial shade, and Dryopteris palustris (Marsh Fern), ideal for riverbanks or marshy settings, in light shade or full sun, can also be planted at its base.