bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa)

First place champion bur oak in Aurora at Fitzsimmons Campus.

Species info:

Leaves: Alternate, simple, oblong to obovate; 6–10 inches long and 3–5 inches wide with 5–9 rounded lobes. Upper surface dark green and glabrous; lower surface pale and hairy.

Leaflets: None (simple leaf).

Leaf Surface: Smooth and glossy above; velvety and lighter beneath.

Bark: Thick, gray-brown, deeply furrowed, forming heavy ridges; very rugged with age.

Twigs: Stout, often corky-ridged in older trees.

Flowers: Inconspicuous; male catkins long and dangling, female flowers very small (traits typical of Quercus species).

Fruit: Acorns maturing in one season; short-stalked, with more than half the nut enclosed in a distinctive fringed or “mossy” cap.

Botanical: Quercus muehlenbergii

Family: Fagaceae

Mature Height: 60+ feet (often 60–80 feet in open-grown conditions)

Canopy Spread: 50–70 feet when mature; very broad-crowned in open sites

Foliage Type: Deciduous

Tree Shape: Weakly pyramidal when young; becoming broadly oval to massive and spreading with age

Growth Rate: Slow to moderate

Flower: Inconspicuous

Fruit: Edible, but requires processing

Fall Color: Yellow to yellow-brown, often muted

Water Use: Moderate once established; drought tolerant due to deep root system

Hardiness: Zones 2–8

Soil Preference: Adaptable to a wide range of soils, including alkaline, clay, and compacted urban soils; prefers deep, well-drained loams but very tolerant overall

Sun Exposure: Full sun

Wildlife Value: Exceptional wildlife tree; acorns support squirrels, deer, turkey, jays, and numerous mammals; provides nesting and cover habitat for birds

Pests/Pathogens: Susceptible to galls

Planting Recommendations: Recommended for most sites in Colorado, highly adaptable

Information Sources:

• Front Range Tree Recommendation List

• Michael Dirr, Manual of Woody Landscape Plants (University of Georgia, 1990)