Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa)

[txbeyer]

I was introduced to this unique tree once we moved to Austin. It has huge features such as 12" leaves, grows ultimately to 80+ feet and as broad, but the acorns alone are astonishing - 2"+ diameter, mostly covered - see picture posted in the gallery. A squirrel finding one of these will think they died and gone to heaven! In winter, the branching has a grotesque look with very rough bark. I have come to really like this tree, which has the added advantage of being oak wilt resistent and very adaptive to the dry climate and alkaline soils we have in central Texas.

[PlantSwap]

I believe it is also supposed to be a surprisingly fast grower for an Oak tree as well.

[txbeyer]

That has not been my experience. Our young trees have barely grown 12" this past year and I am told that they are relatively slow growers. Maybe it depends on where they are environmentally.

[PlantSwap]

Maybe I have my Oaks confused then. I thought it was the Bur Oak that someone at GardenWeb was gushing about a year or two ago. I guess it just goes to show that gardening is an inexact science (at least when considering advice found on the internet).

[rondo769]

I have a bur oak growing in my back yard,my son brought it home on arbor day when he was in 3rd grade,it was only about 18in tall.Now he's in 9th grade and the tree is about 16ft tall!You can get two years growth in one year if you fertilize right