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Native Plant Society of Texas

Bur Oak

Quercus macrocarpa

Other common name(s):

Savannah Oak, Mossy-cup Oak

Family:

Fagaceae (Beech Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Texas Blackland Prairies
Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Balcones Canyonlands, Edwards Plateau Woodland
Floodplains and Low Terraces4, Mid-Coast Barrier Islands and Coastal Marshes, Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Tree

Height

60
to
80
ft.

Spread

30
to
50
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Calcareous, Clay, Deep, Dry, Limestone, Moist

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade, Shade

Water Requirement

Medium

Native Habitat

Grassland, Riparian, Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Brown, Green, Yellow

Bloom Season

Spring

Seasonal Interest

Larval Host, Nuts

Wildlife Benefit

Birds, Butterflies, Small Mammals

Maintenance

Excellent shade tree. Relatively fast growth rate for an oak and long lived: 200 to 300 year lifespan. Needs supplemental watering until established but is then one of the most drought resistant oaks. Needs lots of space and deep soil. Can be pruned for shape or to raise canopy near sidewalks. It is in the white oak group and therefore less susceptible to oak wilt. Widely distributed and capable of withstanding a wide range of conditions. one of the most drought resistant oaks). Tolerates limey soils better than other oaks. Native habitat: open woodlands, also dry hillsides to moist bottomlands, mainly in limestone soils, prairies, open woods, sandy ridges; stream edges. riparian slopes, poorly drained areas, open woodlands, also dry hillsides to moist bottomlands.

Description

Blooms March-May. A large, majestic, tree with a wide, open crown. Large leaves up to 9 inches long, with deep, rounded lobes. Tiny flowers are arranged on a catkin. The fruit is an acorn that is golf-ball sized, the largest of all oaks, and distinguished by very deep fringed cups. The common name describes the cup of the acorn, which resembles the spiny bur of a chestnut. Larval host: Edward’s Hairstreak and Horace’s Duskywing butterflies.

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) Miller, George O., Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas 2nd Ed., 2013, pg 48. 3) Wasowski and Wasowski, Native Texas Plants Landscaping Region by Region, 1991, pg. 341. 4) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=QUMA2. 5) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Quercus+macrocarpa&formsubmit=Search+Terms. 6) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=12130&locationType=County&mapType=Normal., 7) Native and Adapted Landscape Plants, City of Austin and Texas A&M, 2014, 8) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=19287#null

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed No Treatment Best if sown immediately as acorns lose viability quickly in storage. Plant directly in the soil outdoors or in deep containers to accommodate long initial taproot. Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. Ideal planting depth ranges from 1/2 to 3/4 inches. Acorns to be sown immediately can be soaked in hot water for 15 min. to prevent weevil infestation. Stored seed should be fumigated with methyl bromide. Storage of seed is best in a cooler or refrigerator maintained at a high relative humidity and cool temperatures (33 to 370F). Germination rates decline quickly after 2 years in storage. Partial shade is considered beneficial to germination. Usually seedlings are lifted and transplanted after the first year’s growth. Collect acorns in the fall, remove the caps, Collect when color has changed to brown. Best quality acorns are picked or shaken from the tree. 1) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=QUMA2 2) https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/plantmaterials/mtpmcrb13122.pdf 3) https://www.thespruce.com/growing-bur-oak-5091583 4) https://earthone.io/plant/quercus%20macrocarpa?srsltid=AfmBOooHHKA7cs44zjozakqm7i_NjUcDqtUw-n_CGi61to53Y6KQRnM-
Seed Stratification 30-60 days at 41 degrees may be beneficial. Collect acorns in the fall, remove the caps, Collect when color has changed to brown. Best quality acorns are picked or shaken from the tree. 1) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=QUMA2 2) https://www.thespruce.com/growing-bur-oak-5091583
Hardwood Cutting Dip the cut end in rooting hormone and plant it in a container filled with potting soil made of peat moss and perlite. Keep the soil moist and the humidity high by wrapping a clear plastic bag loosely over the cutting. Place it in a warm area until roots form, which might take two or three months. Keep in mind that not all cuttings will "take" and grow—don't be disappointed if you lose several of them. Once roots grow, put the tree indoors in a sunny, warm spot for the first year. Then, it is ready to be transplanted into the ground. With sharp, clean pruners, take several cuttings from hardwood, each at least 6 inches long, from stems at least the diameter of a pencil. The cutting should have at least three or four nodes. Snip the leaves off the bottom, leaving only a few at the top. Make a fresh, sharp cut at a 45-degree angle on the bottom of the cutting, 1) https://www.thespruce.com/growing-bur-oak-5091583 2) https://www.eiu.edu/biology/posters/2012-01.pdf

About the Region

2026 Fall Symposium Logo

This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason