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Bur Oak (also known as Mossycup Oak; Quercus macrocarpa) is a massive, broad-spreading native oak with the widest natural range of any North American oak, producing large 1–1.5 inch acorns and showing strong resistance to Oak Wilt. It grows in USDA hardiness zones 3-9 and AHS heat zones 3-8.
1-2′ Bare Root Seedling Tree Propagation: Seedling (own-root) Can’t be shipped to: CA, OR
Bur Oak holds the broadest natural range of any oak in North America, extending from New Brunswick and Manitoba south through the Great Plains to central Texas and east to the Ohio Valley. André Michaux formally described it in his Flora Boreali-Americana (1803) as Quercus macrocarpa — large-fruited oak — for the oversized acorns enclosed by a deeply fringed, mossy cup that gives rise to both common names: bur oak and mossycup oak. It belongs to the White Oak group, ripening acorns in a single season with tannin levels low enough for Indigenous peoples — including the Dakota and Ojibwe — to process into flour and porridge. The species occupies the ecological boundary between Eastern deciduous forest and the open savanna and prairie of the interior continent, a position held for millennia by its extraordinarily thick, fire-resistant bark. European settlers prized the dense, rot-resistant timber for railroad ties, wagon hubs, and cooperage. Documented specimens exceed 400 years of age, and the species was a keystone of pre-European oak savanna landscapes from Ohio to the Dakotas.
Bur Oak establishes most successfully when planted as a young container or bare-root tree in a permanent full-sun location — transplanting large specimens is difficult because the species invests heavily in a deep, extensive taproot from its first growing season. That taproot is central to its drought strategy: once established (typically after two to three years), Bur Oak can access subsoil moisture that surface-rooted competitors cannot reach, and it tolerates extended dry periods that would stress most shade trees. USDA zones 3 through 8 encompass nearly every temperate region of North America, making this one of the most universally adaptable native trees available. Soil pH from 4.5 to 8.0 is a standout characteristic — most oaks fail above pH 7.0 due to iron chlorosis, but Bur Oak's alkalinity tolerance makes it a viable choice for limestone-derived soils, urban fill, and high-pH clay. It also registers high salt tolerance, which supports street and parking-lot siting. Growth rate is slow, typically six to twelve inches per year; plan for a multigenerational planting and allow generous root zone space from the start.
USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-9 AHS Heat Zone: 3-8 Sun Requirements: Full Sun Soil pH: 4.5-8.0 Soil Type: Clay, loam, sand; tolerates thin soils, heavy claypan, calcareous limestone, gravelly ridges, loessial hills Soil Drainage: Well-drained to moderately wet; does not tolerate permanent flooding Water Requirements: Low once established; drought-adapted to 15 in annual precipitation Drought Tolerance: High Heat Tolerance: High; tolerates heat and air pollution Plant Spacing: 40-60 ft apart Container Suitability: Not suitable (develops deep taproot; poor transplant tolerance)
Bur Oak matures into a massive, wide-spreading deciduous tree, typically reaching 60 to 80 feet tall with a crown spread that can equal or exceed its height — giving it one of the most commanding silhouettes of any native oak. The bark is one of its defining structural features: deeply furrowed, corky, and unusually thick relative to trunk diameter. This bark architecture is a direct evolutionary response to the ground fires that shaped savanna ecosystems; a young Bur Oak can survive low-intensity fires that would top-kill other species, and mature trees are substantially fire-resistant. Leaves are broadly lobed with a characteristic fiddle or lyre shape — deeply cut in the upper half, tapering to a narrower base — and turn yellow to yellow-brown in autumn. Growth rate is slow, which corresponds to the dense, hard wood that makes old Bur Oaks so structurally resilient. Wind tolerance is high; the deep root system anchors the tree firmly against high winds. Foliage is deciduous and fragrance-absent. This is a permanent landscape investment: established trees are functionally low-maintenance and multigenerational.
Mature Height: 60-80 ft tall Mature Spread: 60-80 ft wide Growth Habit: Broad-spreading, rounded to irregular crown; massive trunk; stout branches Growth Rate: Slow Foliage Type: Deciduous Food Forest Layer: Canopy Leaf Color: Dark green above, grayish-white below; leathery fiddle-shaped lobed leaves Fall Foliage Color: Yellow-brown Thorns?: No Attracts Wildlife: Yes — acorn mast for deer, turkey, squirrels, and many birds; host to hundreds of butterfly/moth larvae Life Span: 200-400+ years
Bur Oak is wind-pollinated and monoecious — each tree produces both male and female flowers, so no companion tree is needed for acorn production. Male flowers emerge as pendulous catkins in spring, releasing pollen on wind currents. Female flowers are small structures at leaf axils on new growth; fertilized females develop into the distinctive large acorns. Bloom window runs from early April through mid-June depending on latitude, making Bur Oak a late-blooming oak. That late-flowering habit provides practical frost resistance — catkins emerge after the worst spring freeze risk has passed across most of the species' range. As a White Oak group member, acorns complete development within a single growing season, maturing and dropping the same autumn pollination occurred, making the annual mast crop predictable year to year.
Bloom Season: Very Late Bloom Window: Early Apr - Mid Jun Pollination Requirements: Wind-pollinated; monoecious (male and female flowers on same tree); cross-pollination improves acorn set Pollination Mechanism: Wind-pollinated (monoecious) Flower Color: Yellowish-green (inconspicuous catkins)
The acorns of Bur Oak are the largest-capped of any native North American oak. Each acorn measures roughly one to one and a half inches long, with a fringed or "burred" cup covering approximately half the nut — a characteristic unique to this species. Acorns are brown at maturity, and the low-tannin flesh is among the most palatable of native oaks. As a White Oak group species, acorns ripen within a single growing season, yielding a predictable annual mast crop. Wildlife value is outstanding: white-tailed deer, wild turkey, wood ducks, blue jays, and squirrels feed heavily on Bur Oak mast. For edible-landscape use, acorns can be ground into flour after minimal cold-water leaching or roasting. Trees begin producing at roughly 35 years under open-grown conditions; once mature, a single Bur Oak can drop thousands of acorns in a strong mast year.
Ripening Season: Very Late Harvest Window: Late Aug - Early Nov Fruit Size: 1-1.5 inch Fruit Color: Brown Fruit Skin: Deep hairy cup enclosing 1/2-3/4 of nut with fringed, ragged mossy-looking border Bearing Habit: Annual but good crops every 2-3 years Years to Bear: 35 years (first acorn production); optimum production at 75-150 years Culinary Uses: Acorn flour (bread, muffins), roasted acorns, soups and stews; requires tannin-leaching before use
Bur Oak's most important disease advantage is resistance to Oak Wilt (Bretziella fagacearum). White Oak group members move the pathogen through root grafts and vascular systems more slowly than Red Oak group species, giving trees more time to compartmentalize and survive. Practical management still calls for avoiding pruning during the April-through-July high-risk window when sap-feeding beetle vectors are most active. Bacterial Leaf Scorch (Xylella fastidiosa) affects Bur Oak and shows as marginal leaf browning in late summer; resistance data are limited, so management focuses on sustaining vigor through adequate soil moisture and avoiding root-zone compaction. Armillaria Root Rot (Armillaria mellea) rates moderately susceptible — well-drained soil and avoiding chronic waterlogging are the primary defenses. Oak Decline — a stress complex involving Armillaria, Two-Lined Chestnut Borer, and drought — rates moderately resistant, largely because Bur Oak's drought adaptation reduces stress vulnerability. Two-Lined Chestnut Borer (Agrilus bilineatus) is the most actionable pest: it exploits stressed trees, so mulched root zones and avoiding soil disturbance are the key preventives. Spongy Moth, Oak Lecanium Scale, and Forest Tent Caterpillar cause episodic defoliation but rarely threaten established, vigorous trees.
Plant Young and Plant Permanent: Bur Oak develops a deep taproot rapidly — a one- or two-year-old tree establishes far more reliably than a large balled specimen. Choose the final location before planting.
Mulch the Root Zone: A four-inch wood-chip mulch ring to the drip line suppresses grass competition, conserves moisture, and is the single most effective defense against borers that target stressed trees.
Respect the Pruning Window: Prune only during dormancy (late fall through early March) to minimize Oak Wilt transmission risk. Paint large wounds immediately with wound sealant in high-risk areas.
Expect Slow Early Growth: Much of the first two to three years of energy goes underground into taproot development. Above-ground growth accelerates once the root system is established.
Use on High-pH Clay Soils: Bur Oak's tolerance to pH 8.0 makes it one of the few large native trees that thrives — rather than merely survives — on alkaline or limestone-derived sites. A single defoliation from Spongy Moth rarely causes lasting damage on well-established trees; monitor during outbreak years.
We ship in late winter or early spring based on your USDA hardiness zone.
We strive to ship orders on the scheduled dates listed in the table below. However, please note that the actual shipping date may be subject to change due to factors like weather conditions and order volume.
The specific date for shipping your order will be determined according to your zipcode at the time of checkout.
Our plants are shipped bare root, packed in moist sawdust, and securely wrapped in plastic to prevent the roots from drying out. We use USPS Ground Advantage for shipping, ensuring that your plants typically arrive within 2-5 days after packaging.
In case you're unable to plant the trees immediately upon arrival, we recommend soaking them in water for a few hours and temporarily heeling them in. Ideally, they should be planted within three days of receipt for optimal health.
Our 365-Day Plant Guarantee: We ensure that our plants are delivered to you alive and healthy. If your plant does not survive its first year, you're eligible for store credit under these conditions:
You maintain the roots' moisture and plant within three days of delivery, following the instructions in our Planting Guide.
If you're concerned about your plant's health, please consult our guide, How to Tell if Your Tree is Dead or Dormant. Remember, our plants are shipped in a dormant state and may leaf out at different times based on their species. To check for plant vital
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