bur oak
Quercus macrocarpa
GCA Plant of the Year 2015
USDA zones3 to 8
SunHandles full sun to full shade
WaterHandles dry to wet soil
Size60 to 80 feet tall60 to 80 feet wide
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn, winter
- Bloom color
- Yellowish-green
- Foliage color
- Gray/silver, green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay, chalk
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) is a tree for specimen planting, shade gardens, and low maintenance landscapes. It is hardy to USDA zone 3, or down to -40°F (-40°C). This plant likes full sun to full shade and dry to wet soil of most types. Its acorns are the largest of any native oak, and their deep fringed cups give the tree its name. Deer tend to browse other plants first. Give it room, because it grows wider than tall.
Pairs well with Black gum, Indian grass, and Royal fern.
Native range
Northern and central United States and southeastern Canada.