Quercus macrocarpa – Bur Oak

The preeminent tree of Tallgrass Prairies – it also is native to New York State though not the Catskills. Bur Oak is a huge tree with an impressive crown, massive trunk, and stout branches. There is a specimen in Philadelphia with a trunk about seven feet in diameter and branches that spread over 90 feet wide. Bark is an unusual light brown to grey depending on the specimen, and is deeply furrowed on older trees. Bur Oak’s acorns are almost completely covered with a furry, bur-like cap which gives the tree an alternative common name, Mossycup Oak.