Bur Oak Growth Rate

Growth Rate

• Bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) is considered to possess a slow growth rate which, according to the Arbor Day Foundation, denotes a tree that grows 12 inches or less annually. However, the tree is exceptionally long-lived, often thriving between 200 and 300 years or more. The annual growth rate concerning diameter ranges between 1/10- and 1/4-inch. The tree is named for its acorn's cap, which resembles a fringed growth of bur.

Size

• Immature seedlings may grow as much as 2 feet annually. The Bur oak regularly grows to a total height of between 60 and 70 feet, although it may surpass 100 feet in many instances. A canopy spread of 80 feet is typical, with a mature trunk diameter width of 36 to 48 inches when planted in ideal conditions. A shade tree, the Bur oak adapts well to city life and enjoys full sunshine.

Hardiness

• The tree achieves its best growth rate when planted in U.S. Department of Agriculture Hardiness zones 3 through 8, an area that encompasses much of the country aside from tropical Florida, south Texas, southern California, and the desert southwest. It tolerates a variety of soil and moisture conditions, largely thanks to an extensive root system that sometimes measures 16 feet deep and therefore is easily able to gather moisture regardless of precipitation.

Considerations

• It survives naturally in areas receiving between 15 and 50 inches of rainfall annually and can handle a growing season as short as 100 days or as long as 250. The Bur oak enjoys acidic soils but also appreciates earth with a high level of alkalinity. Utah State University advises that trees with seed origin from the central Great Plains are likely to provide the highest combination of stress tolerance and solid growth tendencies among Bur oaks.