Quercus macrocarpa
Overview
Uses: Large lawns and open acreage, park and campus plantings, long-term shade, restoration and wildlife plantings, boulevard settings with room to spread.
Benefits: Unusual tolerance of heat, drought, clay, and alkaline soil, deeply furrowed corky bark that reads well in winter, oversized fringed acorns that feed a wide range of wildlife, and a working life measured in centuries rather than decades.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–8
Sun: Full Sun
Life Cycle: Deciduous Tree
Growth Habit: Upright, Broad-spreading — massive trunk beneath a wide, open canopy.
Mature Height: 60–80 feet
Mature Width: 60–80 feet
Growth Rate: Slow to Moderate
Summary
This is the tree you plant for the people who will sit under it long after you’re gone.
Bur Oak is one of the toughest large shade trees in North America. It builds a heavy, deeply ridged trunk and a broad canopy that spreads nearly as wide as the tree is tall, giving mature specimens an unmistakable architectural presence. Bark becomes thick and corky with age, which is part of why the species handles prairie fire, drought, and hard winters so well.
The leaves are large and lobed with a rounded outline, dark green above and pale beneath. Fall color runs to yellow-brown rather than fireworks, but winter reveals the real show: a massive silhouette of stout, angular limbs.
Acorns are the largest of any North American oak, capped in a distinctive fringed cup that gives the tree its name. Deer, turkey, squirrels, and wood ducks all use them heavily, and the tree supports an enormous number of native caterpillar species that in turn feed songbirds.
Growth is measured rather than quick, but Bur Oak asks very little in return. It accepts compacted soil, alkaline conditions, urban heat, and long dry spells better than nearly any other oak.
Care
Bur Oak Care
Plant in full sun with plenty of overhead and lateral room. This is a tree that wants space rather than a spot near the house.
Bur Oak is adaptable to a wide range of soils, including heavy clay, sand, and alkaline ground where many oaks develop chlorosis. Good drainage helps but is not essential; the species tolerates both dry uplands and periodically wet bottomland.
Water deeply through the first two or three growing seasons to establish the taproot. After that, mature trees are notably drought tolerant and rarely need supplemental irrigation outside of extreme conditions.
Fertilizing is generally unnecessary in decent soil. If growth on a young tree seems sluggish, a spring application of slow release fertilizer can help it along.
Prune only in late fall or winter while dormant, which reduces the risk of oak wilt transmission. Young trees benefit from light structural pruning to establish a single strong leader; mature trees need very little. A wide ring of mulch kept back from the trunk protects the shallow feeder roots from mower damage.
Size
What Size is the Bur Oak for Sale Online?
Our Bur Oak ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please contact us.
How Large Does Bur Oak Grow?
When mature, Quercus macrocarpa typically reaches about 60–80 feet tall with a canopy 60–80 feet wide. Older specimens on open ground can exceed this. Plan the planting site around the eventual spread, not the size at delivery.
Additional Information
What are some common names for this plant?
- Bur Oak
- Burr Oak
- Mossycup Oak
How fast does a Bur Oak grow?
Expect roughly one to two feet of height per year once established, which places it in the slow to moderate range for shade trees. Early growth goes largely into the root system, so the first few years look slower above ground than they actually are.
Is Bur Oak a native tree?
Yes. It is native across a wide swath of central and eastern North America, from the prairie provinces down through Texas and east to the Appalachians, and it is one of the most ecologically valuable trees you can plant. You can browse more options in our Native Plants of North America collection.
Will Bur Oak handle poor or dry soil?
Better than almost any other oak. It grows in clay, sand, compacted urban ground, and alkaline soils, and mature trees ride out extended drought without complaint. If a low-input landscape is the goal, our Drought-Tolerant Plants collection is worth a look.
How much room does a Bur Oak really need?
A great deal. Give it at least 40 feet from buildings and 30 feet from other large trees, and avoid planting beneath utility lines. This is a species best suited to large lawns, farm properties, and park settings rather than small suburban lots; our Trees collection has smaller-scale alternatives.
