Growth Facts
- Hardiness Zone: 3 - 8
- Mature Height: 70-80' tall
- Mature Width: 70-80' wide
- Exposure: Full Sun
- Spacing: 80-100' apart
Why the Bur Oak?
For spacious properties, there is perhaps no mightier, more awe-inspiring tree than the Bur Oak. Over time, this noble shade tree will develop a broad canopy supported by strong, massive limbs clothed in rugged, furrowed bark and large leathery leaves. A sturdy, long-lived legacy tree, Bur Oak makes a precious gift to future generations of shade-seekers who will picnic, play, lounge, and dream beneath its branches for years to come. Countless forms of wildlife will benefit, too, and will come to seek food and shelter in the safety of its leafy embrace.
Native to a large area of the East and Midwest, the majestic Bur Oak is a part of our nation’s natural heritage. It is an iconic tree of farmlands and prairies, where venerable old specimens add their bold silhouettes to otherwise flat, wide open landscapes. Small groupings of Bur Oak serve as windbreaks from the never-ending winds that howl across the Plains. Birds gather in its branches, and deer, squirrels, and wild turkeys eat its acorns. Bur Oak gets its name from those jumbo-sized acorns, which are held in very large caps covered with a bur-like fringe. The oversized caps and acorns have a lot of character and make fun additions to fall craft projects.
How to use in the landscape?
Bur Oak is a supremely tough tree, able to shrug off bitter cold, drought, wind, and poor soils like few other trees can. This gentle giant can even survive in the city if there’s room enough for it to grow. In fact, Bur Oak is a past winner of the Society of Municipal Arborists “Tree of the Year” award for its ability to thrive in challenging urban sites.
Why Bower & Branch?
At Bower & Branch, it’s our job to know and grow trees… especially big trees.
- Trusted, Experienced Growers
- Trusted, Knowledgeable Expertise
- Trusted Brand of Quality Trees Across the United States
We do the hard part. Our trees and plants are grown and cared for by only the best, local growers for years before they find their forever home in your landscape. Bower & Branch is known for having hard-to-find, substantial sizes and selection. The quality of our trees and plants are consistent in health and vigor—always ready for immediate impact in your garden and instant curb appeal. We never rush our trees to reach a 'grade size.’ Our trees are grown for quality height, vigor, health and age.
We believe in empowering homeowners with the truth about strong, healthy and structurally sound plants that are grown to perform in the ground after they leave the nursery for home delivery, always fresh inventory from the grower.
How To Plant
Bur Oak is a slow-growing tree, but with optimum levels of water and fertilizer, its growth rate can be sped up a bit. Plant Bur Oak in full sun in any type of soil and mulch it with a layer of wood chips or bark. Make sure to also give it plenty of elbow room! Diseases and insect pests are generally no problem with this one, and you’ll rarely have to prune it.
How To Water
Water twice weekly for the first 3-5 weeks; then water weekly for the remainder of the year until winter. When you water, water very slowly and very thoroughly. The water needs to reach to the bottom of the root ball and that takes time. Watering needs may be altered due to extreme weather conditions.
How To Fertilize
Incorporate Elements Starter Plant food granular form into the soil when planting. If planting in spring or summer, start fertilizing late fall using Elements Starter Plant food granular form on an annual basis each late fall. If planting in the fall, use Elements fertilizer while planting and start your regular annual fertilizing the following fall. Continue this for the first three years to get your plant well established as it gives your tree the nutrients it needs to produce lush new growth for the following spring.
How To Prune
Planting Zones
Hardiness Zone: 3-8
How Does Shipping Work?
Bower & Branch Trees, the real BIG trees, don’t fit in a box! Our big trees, sizes XL and bigger, require expert delivery and care, that means our extra-large trees are shipped on Bower & Branch trucks. We are the only ones who know how to ship our big and bigger trees and plants with tender loving care.
We deliver your trees and plants directly to you. Ask Bower & Branch about planting services – we'd be happy to assist in installation.
*Big trees and shrubs, Size XL and bigger, will take approximately 2 to 3 weeks to be delivered.
Your trees and plants are grown across the United States at various Bower & Branch Growers. Depending on your location, your plant orders may be shipped from various locations.
Please expect orders with multiple items to be delivered over a number of days as a result. Orders made up of numerous items or selections will not arrive at your home on the same day.
Shipping Delays:
From time to time, Bower & Branch Growers may determine to delay order shipment based on various factors for plant health.
Weather in your region, as well as, where your plants are grown, is always considered when shipping. Extreme weather conditions may delay some or all of your order.
Bower & Branch allows our Growers to make final shipping decisions based solely to benefit your trees and plants’ health and success.
Bower & Branch Plant Whisperers - Online Customer Service
The Bower & Branch customer service team WILL surprise you with experience. The Plant Whisperer Team is available to all of our customers for all reasons: shipping updates, special requests, plant care, design, placement, selection and all your other gardening needs!
Our Service Team is directly connected to the best growers (ours!) across the country and have access to more plant experience and knowledge than any other retailer out there; online or in your neighborhood. Chat with a Plant Whisperer today!
PlantWhisperers@bowerandbranch.com | (866) 873-3888 | Chat below!
How Does Sizing Work?
The size of our trees have nothing to do with the container size like you may find elsewhere–big doesn't mean just height - it’s also vigor, age, and overall health.. Other online retailers are going to tell you that a plant is a seven gallon, that means nothing to your tree or plant (or you.)
Our trees for sale online are graded on large, x-large, and even bigger sizes. This is because our trees are sized by their age—the higher the letter, the more mature the tree. The age determines the trees’ overall height, size of the trunk and the overall branch density.
All of these characteristics are what you should be looking for when choosing a tree for immediate impact and instant curb appeal. Our extra-large tree and plant sizes are sure to wow you and your neighbors!
See the size guides below.
