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Parks & Recreation

Burr Oak

Common Name: Burr Oak             

Scientific Name: Quercus macrocarpa

Location: Spalding Circle.

Size: 3 inches diameter at breast height

Burr Oak, Quercus macrocarpa locations on map

Native to: Upper Mississippi and Ohio River valleys

This tree typically grows to:  80 feet tall and 60 feet wide 

This tree prefers these conditions:  Full sun and medium to dry soils

Special about this tree:  

  • Acorns are among the largest of any oak (up to 2 inches), and produce a shaggy fringe around the cap.
  • Leaves are dark green on top and pale and hairy underneath, with rounded lobes and deep central sinuses, creating a distinctive “fiddle” shape.
  • Not as susceptible to oak wilt as members of the red oak family.