Quercus Macrocarpa
History & Disease: Fagaccae. Beech Family References The Bur Oak is native of Canada and may be the oldest ancestor of the White Oaks. The name Quercus • “The Trees of Miami comes from the Celtic University” language and means “tree Information Booklet above others”. Macrocarpa and map. comes from the Greek work • “Species Profile of “makros” which means large the Bur Oak” by and “karpos” which means Mary Ann Riley. fruit. The Bur Oak was able to spread widely throughout the Kemptville College eastern United States • Grimm, W.C. 2002. because it’s thick bark Illustrated Book of protected it from fire and it’s Trees. Stackpole deep tap root system Books. allowed it to survive droughts. Insect & Fungal Pests: For the Answer to question: It is most part, the Bur Oak is very the largest! The acorn of resistant to disease. However, the Bur Oak can grow Nancy Blake Leaf Shredders are pests that between 3/4” to 2” long! cause defoliation in Bur Oaks BOT 155- VA and Galls can lay eggs in the Tree Presentation dormant buds. 12
Question: How is the acorn of the Bur Oak different from other oak trees?
Stem Characteristics: The stem of a Bur Oak’s leaf is in obovate or egg shaped and flat. It is narrow at the point where it is attached to the stalk. Bark: The Bur Oak can be identified as part of the White Oak group by it’s medium to dark gray bark Identifying Features of the Bur Oak which features long, slender clefts which looks like scales. An interesting Geographic Range: Leaf Characteristics: fact about the bark is that The Bur Oak can be found in the Deciduous Symmetrical leaves are evenly divided into 5 it is so thick that it is Forest Region that covers most of the to 9 lobes with a deep mid-leaf sinus. Leaf actually fire-resistant! Midwest and Great Plains States and venation is pinnate, having one main vein Flower Characteristics: southern Canada. It generally stands alone with smaller veins extending out from the Male and female flowers where it can enjoy full to partial sun. midrib. The top of the leaf is a dark shiny grow on this tree, which is Although it prefers moist, but well-drained green in the summer and yellow to brown in called monoecious. The soil, it’s deep tap root system allows it to the autumn. The bottom of the leaf is dull flowers appear in the survive in dry soils, clay and limestone, and has white hairs or Stiples. spring when the new making it a good choice for urban areas Fruit Characteristics: leaves form. The female The fruit that this tree has is an acorn. In fact, and parks. flowers grow in clusters at the Bur Oak has the largest acorns of all the the leaves axil (between Size: Oak species. It is covered with a rough This massive tree stands tall at heights of 60 branch and stem) and the prickly husk or “Bur” cap and is filled with a to 80 feet with a 2-4 feet diameter truck. male flowers form skinny, sweet, white nut that is a favorite of the However, it can grow to a maximum height drooping catkins at the American black bears, squirrels and deer. of about 150 feet tall with a 7 feet wide base of the new shoots. Acorns are grown every few years rather truck in the north-central states. The flowers are distributed than annually to fool predators. by the wind.