White Oak Vs. Bur Oak

Similarities

• The mature size of both these oaks is in the range of 80 feet. Trunk diameters on the largest bur and white oaks reach 4 feet, according to the "National Audubon Society Field Guide to Trees: Eastern Region." Both trees generate acorns that many types of wildlife incorporate into their diets throughout the tree's geographic distribution. Bur and white oaks grow too large for small yards, but work well in open landscapes. Typical of oaks, bur and white oak grow best in full sunshine.

Foliage

• The leaves on a bur oak develop to between 4 and 10 inches in length. They have an oblong to oval shape with five to nine rounded lobes. In the middle of the leaf, the sinuses extend almost to the midrib, making the leaf look as if it has a waist, notes the Missouri Botanical Garden. The dark green leaves turn yellow-brown in fall. White oak leaves are shorter, from 4 to 8 inches long, with from five to nine rounded lobes on each leaf. They are a dull shade of bluish-green, but change to red-purple in autumn.

Acorns

• Bur oak's acorns grow obviously larger than those of a white oak do. Bur oak acorns are up to 1.5 inches long, while those of the white oak are up to an inch long. The caps are quite different, with those of the bur oak more ornamental in nature. Bur oak acorn caps cover at least half the fruit, with a fringe-like border at the rim of the cap. The white oak acorn cap is more like a bumpy saucer in comparison, only covering the upper portion of the fruit.

Other Traits

• Bur oak stems feature a corky appearance, while the grayish-brown bark has a flaky look to it. Bur oak prefers alkaline soil, according to the University of Connecticut Plant Database. White oak does best in acidic soil, while its bark is a lighter shade of gray. Bur oak has crooked branches, as opposed to the more horizontal, straight branches of white oak.