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Burr Oak

The Burr Oak Is the Official Tree of Henry Ford Community College
  Physical Information

The Burr Oak is one of the largest and mightiest of the Oaks.

Flowers.  The flowers of the Burr Oak are small and not usually seen due to the size of the tree.  The flowers are small, yellow in color usually 4-6 inches long. 

 

Leaves. The leaves are arranged alternately on the branch and are about 6-12 inches in length. They have a deep sinus (deep grove or indentation) after the first lobe.   The leaves are deep green and shiny.

Fruits. The acorn is by far the most  distinguishable characteristic of the Burr Oak.  They are very large 1-2 inches in length with a cup (the hat of the acorn) that is heavily fringed. This fringe also gives the burr Oak the name Mossy cup Oak.   The acorns are the sweetest of any acorn type thus allowing the acorn to be eaten.

Bark. The bark of the burr oak is a brownish-grey with deep groves running through  it , the bark is extremely thick and has a cork value to it.

 

Horticultural Information

Soil  The Burr Oak has a wide range of distribution due to its soil preferences.   The Burr Oak likes nutrient rich, moist soil, but will withstand soils that are dry.  This allows it to grow in the U.S. from coast to coast. Due to the size of the Burr Oak it is not recommended for small yards. The Burr Oak does grow slowly, but it will grow indefinitely so it is only recommended on large estates and in forests. The Burr Oak prefers full sun.

Distribution

The areas in red are where the Burr Oak is found.

Economic uses

The Burr Oaks key economic use is in lumber for houses and furniture.  The wood is very hard and durable allowing anything that is made of burr oak wood to withstand immense weight.  The wood also has a honey brown color which is used in furniture due to its beauty.  The acorn of the Burr Oak is the largest and sweetest of all the Oaks.   This allows for the harvest and sale of the acorns for human consumption.

Medicinal uses

The Chippewa Indian tribe. This tribe used the inner bark of the Burr Oak as a pulmonary aid, the root was used to relieve cramps, and the inner bark is also used ceremonially as a heart medicine.

The Fox Indian tribe. This tribe used a compound of wood and inner bark to expel pinworms. 

Iroquois tribe. This tribe used bark chips which were taken to relieve diarrhea, also complex compounds were made of various parts of the tree to wash with  which cured Italian Itch. 

Menominee tribe. This tribe used a concoction of the inner bark which was used to suppress menses caused by a cold.

Ojibwa tribe. This tribe used the bark to bandage a broken foot or leg.