|
Identification Clues:
This trees is globular in form with a large
canopy. The leaves of the bur oak are simple, pinnately lobed and
dark green. They have rounded lobes and the leaf seems to be cut
almost in two by the deep indentations. The bark is light gray, deeply
furrowed, and is very similar to the white oak, except the bur oak wood
is much stronger. The flower of the bur oak is a slender, yellow-green
catkin. The fruit is a large, tan-brown acorn with gray scales.
The acorn is enclosed, halfway or more, in a deep cup that is fringed on
the margin.
Distribution:
The bur oak is native to South Dakota and
is the Midwest's greatest oak. It is found from Nova Scotia to Pennsylvania,
west to Manitoba and Texas.
Highlights:
The bur oak's bark is fire resistant, which
helps it to survive the many prairie fires. Bur oaks grow very slowly,
but can live 200 to 300 years. Wildlife eat the acorns. The
wood has been used by people for construction lumber and as fuel.
Because it is hardy and drought resistant, bur oak is often planted in
shelterbelts. |
