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Bur Oak
Quercus macrocarpa

A large, deciduous, majestic, native tree with a stout trunk and spreading branches. It has a broad, rounded, open crown and grows up to 80' tall. Bur Oak is suited for large landscapes of savanna restorations, shade and ornamental features. It can also be used in degraded sites and previously disturbed sites. When planting, give this tree plenty of room.

USDA symbol: QUMA2

General Information

Plant TypeTree
Height50 to 100 feet
Light ExposureSun, Part Sun
Soil MoistureDry, Medium
Bloom ColorYellow
Bur Oak (Bur Oak<div><em class="small">Quercus macrocarpa</em></div>)
Photo credit: Minnesota Wildflowers (Click to enlarge)

Tolerances

Flooding / Inundation ToleranceHigh
General Resilience8
Salt ToleranceLow
Stress ToleranceDrought Tolerant, Fire Tolerant

Pollinator Value: Medium

Bloom MonthsApril to May
Larval Host ofButterflies, Moths
Specific Pollinators HostedCameraria hamadryadella, Erynnis brizo, Erynnis horatius, Erynnis juvenalis, Satyrium edwardsii

Project Planning

Project TypeErosion Control, Restoration, Upland Buffer
Coefficient of Conservatism4
Herbivore SensitivityMedium
LifespanPerennial
Rate of SpreadSlow
Soil StabilizationDeep
Vegetative ReproductionClonal

Range

CountyAitkin, Anoka, Becker, Beltrami, Benton, Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Carlton, Carver, Cass, Chippewa, Chisago, Clay, Clearwater, Cook, Cottonwood, Crow Wing, Dakota, Dodge, Douglas, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Grant, Hennepin, Houston, Hubbard, Isanti, Itasca, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Koochiching, Lac qui Parle, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Mahnomen, Marshall, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Mower, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Norman, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Pennington, Pine, Pipestone, Polk, Pope, Ramsey, Red Lake, Redwood, Renville, Rice, Rock, Roseau, Sherburne, Sibley, St. Louis, Stearns, Steele, Stevens, Swift, Todd, Traverse, Wabasha, Wadena, Waseca, Washington, Watonwan, Wilkin, Winona, Wright, Yellow Medicine
EcoregionDriftless Area, Lake Agassiz Plain, North Central Hardwood Forests, Northern Glaciated Plains, Northern Lakes and Forests, Northern Minnesota Wetlands, Western Cornbelt Plains
Approximate Eco ProvinceEastern Broadleaf Forest, Laurentian Mixed Forest, Prairie Parkland, Tallgrass Aspen Parklands