Quercus macrocarpa Mother Load

Habit

A dwarf oak? It almost seems like an oxymoron since there are so few within the Genus, fortunately for us we now offer several of these rarities. “Mother Load” is a very slow growing semi vase shaped upright with short stubby branches and will eventually make a small tree that is somewhat broader than tall and processing a dense round topped outline. Burr Oak is a North American native with a broad range throughout the Midwest and stretching south through Texas all the way to the gulf. The species is durable and as a whole is accepted as being adaptable to a wide range of sites including clay soils and high drought environments.

Foliage & Bark

Foliage: Unlike some dwarfs the foliage is not small, the leaves are 5 to 6 inches long and 4 to 5 inches wide with rounded lobes of varying lengths. The fall color is not particularly showy, mostly a copper yellow. Bark: A decent percentage of the limbs and branchlets are ridged with corky wings. The main trunk is a gray-brown color and furrowed.

Flower & Fruit

Flower:
Inconspicuous yellow dropping catkins, and of no substantial ornamental value.

Fruit:
While this species is known for its larger acorns, we have not seen any on this form to date.

Specifications