Kansas is famous for being the sunflower state because of all of its cultivated and native sunflowers.
However, anyone who lives there or has visited the eastern part of KS may want to call it the Oak State because it has so many big, beautiful oak trees.
We will look at seven oak trees you can grow or admire in Kansas.
The hardiness zones in Kansas don’t have a very broad range, USDA Zones 5 – 7, so choosing the right oak for your yard is easy.
Take a look at seven oak trees that grow anywhere in KS.
7 Oak Trees That Grow and Thrive in Kansas
1. Bur Oak – Quercus macrocarpa
Bur Oak is the most widespread oak tree in Kansas, native to the eastern ⅔ of the state, where it grows in open woods, sandy ridges, and riparian areas.
This tree is one of my favorite oaks for its big, beautiful acorns with attractive bur-like (tuberculate) cupules that give it its common name. The acorns are also much sweeter than most and can be harvested and eaten.
Bur Oaks are impressive, long-lived, tall trees with spreading crowns, contorted branches, and large lobed oak leaves that make great shade trees in the summer and provide winter interest.
This cold-hardy white oak grows best in full sun in acidic to alkaline, loamy, sandy, well-drained, wet, and clay soils. While it prefers moderate moisture, it does have some drought tolerance once established.
For more information, you can learn how to identify the Bur Oak in its native habitat.
Other Common Names: Burr Oak, Mossycup Oak, Prairie Oak, Savanna Oak, Overcup Oak, Blue Oak
USDA Growing Zones: 3 – 9
Average Size at Maturity: 60 – 80 ft tall, 60 – 80 ft spread
Flowering / Fruiting Season: Inconspicuous flowers bloom in April or May; acorns mature in October
Available at: Nature Hills
2. White Oak – Quercus alba
White Oak is another Kansas native tree, growing naturally in scattered populations in the eastern ⅕ of the state.
It is also a popular landscaping tree in KS for its massive size, long life, and large rounded-lobed green leaves that make it a perfect shade tree.
The White Oak leaves also turn a deep crimson red for a gorgeous fall color display.
The large acorns are also less bitter than most and are occasionally eaten raw, boiled, or dried and ground into flour.
While the White Oak grows fairly slowly, it has a wide, flaring trunk, so if planted next to sidewalks or foundations, it could damage them over time.
These trees are best grown in full sun in acidic soil with medium moisture. They don’t transplant well, so plant it young in their permanent location.
You can also learn how to identify the White Oak in its native environment.
Other Common Names: American White Oak, Northern White Oak, Eastern White Oak, Forked-Leaf White Oak, Quebec Oak
USDA Growing Zones: 3 – 9
Average Size at Maturity: 50 – 80 ft tall, 50 – 80 ft spread
Flowering / Fruiting Season: Inconspicuous flowers appear between April and May; acorns mature in late summer to early fall
Available at: Fast-Growing-Trees & Nature Hills
3. Shumard Oak – Quercus shumardii
Shumard Oaks are huge, fast-growing shade trees with classically lobed oak leaves that turn a brilliant shade of red for a spectacular fall color display, which makes them very popular landscape trees readily available at nurseries.
These trees are also popular in urban streets, parks, and yards because they are highly adaptable trees, tolerating a wide range of soil conditions, drought, short-term flooding, road salts, and urban pollution.
Shumard Oaks grow best in full sun in acidic or alkaline loamy, well-drained soils, which makes them a perfect fit for anywhere in KS.
These are another Kansas native tree found throughout the eastern ⅓ of Kansas, where they are often found growing in rich, moist clays in riparian areas alongside streams and swamps, giving it its other common name of Swamp Red Oak.
For more information, check out how to identify the Shumard Oak.
Other Common Names: Shumard Red Oak, Swamp Red Oak, Spotted Oak, Schneck Oak
USDA Growing Zones: 4 – 8
Average Size at Maturity: 40 – 60 ft (to 115 ft) tall, 40 – 60 ft spread
Flowering / Fruiting Season: Inconspicuous flowers bloom between March and April; acorns mature in September or October
Available at: Fast-Growing-Trees & Nature Hills
4. English Oak – Quercus robur
English Oak, as the name implies, is not one of Kansas’ native oaks, but it is a very popular landscape tree widely grown around the world as a shade or street tree, and KS is no exception.
These highly adaptable trees grow in acidic, alkaline, poor, dry, or wet soils. They will even tolerate some shade but may not perform as well.
However, English Oaks will grow best in full sun in well-drained, moist, humus-rich soil.
These trees shouldn’t be planted in livestock fields because they contain biochemical compounds that can cause digestive problems.
English Oak frequently escapes cultivation and has become naturalized in parts of the USA and Canada.
Even though it isn’t invasive in KS, I strongly encourage you to plant one of your many beautiful native oaks instead for the biodiversity and wildlife values they will provide.
You can also learn how to identify the English Oak.
Other Common Names: Pedunculate Oak, French Oak, Truffle Oak
USDA Growing Zones: 4 – 8
Average Size at Maturity: 40 – 60 ft (to 100 ft) tall, 40 – 70 ft spread
Flowering / Fruiting Season: Inconspicuous flowers appear in April or May; acorns mature in September or October
Available at: Nature Hills
5. Shingle Oak – Quercus imbricaria
Shingle Oaks are large trees with broadly spreading crowns and unique laurel-like, unlobed, bright green leaves with downy undersides that do not look like your typical oak.
While some sources say Shingle Oaks are evergreen because they retain their leaves, they actually turn a vibrant shade of red in the fall, giving you a great fall color display before turning brown and dying for the winter. However, the leaves will remain on the tree all winter, even through the strong Kansas winds, providing some additional winter interest in the landscape.
Shingle Oaks can be grown in both full sun and partial shade and tolerate salt, alkaline, wet, or dry soils. Also, like most oaks, they can be grown next to black walnuts.
These trees are another native oak in Kansas found in scattered populations in the eastern ¼ of the state.
Other Common Names: Jack Oak, Laurel Oak, Northern Laurel Oak, Small-Leaved Oak
USDA Growing Zones: 4 – 8
Average Size at Maturity: 50 – 60 ft (to 100 ft) tall, 50 – 60 ft spread
Flowering / Fruiting Season: Inconspicuous flowers emerge from April to June; acorns mature in the fall of the second year (two-year cycle)
Available at: Nature Hills
6. Post Oak – Quercus stellata
Post Oak is a Kansas native found mostly in the state’s southeast corner, where it grows naturally on dry, poor-quality sandy or rocky acidic soils.
Its tolerance of poor soils would make it a good choice for homeowners who don’t have the nice loamy soil that KS is famous for or the moist, rich soil that many larger oaks prefer.
Post Oaks are large trees with dense canopies of contorted branches that make great shade trees. They also tolerate partial shade and are highly drought-tolerant once established and would be suitable for xeriscaping in KS.
The large acorns are loved by wildlife who will come to feast in the fall.
Being less cold-hardy than the other oaks listed here, Post Oak may not perform as well in the northernmost parts of KS.
You can also check out how to identify the Post Oak to see it in its natural habitat.
Other Common Names: Iron Oak, Cross Oak
USDA Growing Zones: 5 – 9
Average Size at Maturity: 35 – 60 ft (to 100 ft) tall, 30 – 60 ft spread
Flowering / Fruiting Season: Inconspicuous flowers bloom between March and May; acorns mature from September to October
7. Chinkapin Oak – Quercus muehlenbergii
Chinkapin Oak is another unique oak tree also native to Kansas in the eastern ⅓ of the state, where it grows naturally on dry bluffs, ridges, and rocky south-facing slopes.
Depending on available moisture and nutrients, they can grow from a large shrub to a very large tree.
Chinkapin Oak gets its common name from having coarsely toothed, glossy green chestnut-like leaves and its strong resemblance to the Ozark Chinkapin Chestnut.
While not often grown commercially, this attractive tree would make a lovely shade tree.
Chinkapin Oaks are cold-hardy trees best grown in full sun in loamy, sandy, clay, or silt soils, provided they are well-drained. They are not picky about soil pH, growing equally well in acidic to slightly alkaline soils. Their wide soil and climatic tolerance would make them a perfect fit for growing anywhere in KS.
For more information, check out how to identify the Chinkapin Oak.
Other Common Names: Chinquapin Oak
USDA Growing Zones: 3 – 9
Average Size at Maturity: 40 – 60 ft (10 to 100 ft) tall, 40 – 70 ft spread
Flowering / Fruiting Season: Inconspicuous flowers emerge between April and early June; acorns mature in September of the same year
Available at: Nature Hills
Table Comparing Oak Trees in Kansas
Here is a detailed table comparing each oak tree type for Kansas, including their bloom time, fruiting season, size at maturity, and USDA growing zones.
| Oak Tree Type | Bloom Time | Fruiting Season | Size at Maturity | USDA Zones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bur Oak | April or May | October | 60-80 ft tall, 60-80 ft spread | 3 – 9 |
| White Oak | April and May | Late summer to early fall | 50-80 ft tall, 50-80 ft spread | 3 – 9 |
| Shumard Oak | March and April | September or October | 40-60 ft (up to 115 ft) tall, 40-60 ft spread | 4 – 8 |
| English Oak | April or May | September or October | 40-60 ft (up to 100 ft) tall, 40-70 ft spread | 4 – 8 |
| Shingle Oak | April to June | Fall of the second year | 50-60 ft (up to 100 ft) tall, 50-60 ft spread | 4 – 8 |
| Post Oak | March and May | September to October | 35-60 ft (up to 100 ft) tall, 30-60 ft spread | 5 – 9 |
| Chinkapin Oak | April and early June | September | 40-60 ft (10 to 100 ft) tall, 40-70 ft spread | 3 – 9 |
Mighty Oak Trees That Grow in Kansas
Kansas may be famous for its sunflowers, but it should also be known for its mighty oaks.
Even though oaks mostly grow in the eastern half of KS, they will also grow in the west, provided they are given enough water during the establishment phase. If you live in the western half and do not want to irrigate past establishment, choose one of the more drought-tolerant ones like the Post, Shumard, or Chinkapin Oak.
Most of the oaks here are cold-hardy and will grow well anywhere in the state, but the Post Oak is the least cold-hardy and may not perform as well in the northernmost part of the state.
I hope you have enjoyed learning about some of the many beautiful, mighty oak trees that grow and thrive in Kansas. Maybe you have one (or more) that you have chosen for your own yard. You could also consider planting one of these maple trees that grown well in Kansas to accompany your oak. Happy tree planting!
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