Burr oak, Mossy-cup oak, Blue oak
Quercus macrocarpa

Family: Fagaceae

What it is like

A deciduous tree. It grows to 15-40 m high. The trunk is 60 cm across. The leaves are 15-30 cm long. The shape varies. There can be 7-9 deep lobes but also less. The leaves are shiny green on the upper surface and pale and hairy underneath. The acorns are 20-30 mm long. They usually occur singly. The cup is large and encloses half or more of the acorn. There is a fringe near the acorn.

There are about 600 Quercus species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows best in deep, rich soils but will also grow on upland limestone soils. It is drought tolerant. It can tolerate some shade. It suits hardiness zones 4-9. Hobart Botanical Gardens. Kyneton Botanical Gardens. National Arboretum Canberra.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia, Canada, North America, Tasmania, USA

How it is used for food

The acorns are leached using gelatine to remove the bitterness. The acorns are used in breads, muffins, soups and dumplings.

Edible parts

Seeds, nuts

How it is grown

Trees live for 200 years.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Cerris macrocarpa (Michx.) Raf.; Cerris oliviformis (F. Michx.) Raf.; Quercus oliviformis F. Michx.; and others