(Quercus macrocarpa)
The Beech Family (Fagaceae)
Large, fast growing tree that usually grows wider than it is tall. Deciduous, alternate leaves along the thick, sometimes winged twigs. Bark is pale gray and rugged, in long rectangular blocks.
Habitat:
Low, moist bottomlands and dry rocky elevations of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Found in six Louisiana parishes in the northern part of the state.
Interesting Facts:
Sometimes called mossy cup oak because the cup of acorn is covered in a fringed mass of bristles. Larval host for several butterflies.
Fruit:
Acorn sometimes as large as a golf ball, may be nearly enclosed with very deep fringed cup.
Flower:
Male flowers, called catkins, are 4-6” long clusters that are tassel-like; Female are small in groups of 1 or more.
Wildlife value:
Attracts songbirds, ground birds and mammals. Insects eat the foliage and birds eat the insects.
Fruit
Leaf type:
Simple
Pollinator:
Wildlife value:
Tree dimensions:
Leaf length: 6.00-12.00 inches
Tree height: 70.00-150.00 feet
PDF link:
Where to find Bur Oak on the Louisiana State Arboretum Trails:
TER - Walker Terrace 19.0
Refer to our Live Map to locate this species and its interpretative signage on the trail system.