Hi neighbor, my name is Bur Oak
Did you know that 30% of oak ecosystems in Illinois are held in trust for the public by local, county, state, and federal organizations? Click HERE to learn more.
My latin name is Quercus macrocarpa
We Bur Oaks make great city trees because we tolerate a variety of moisture and soil conditions and we adapt well to urban settings. Our fringed acorns are food for urban wildlife.
Our delicate pale green leaves emerge in mid-May. Look up! Have you seen or heard the migrating warblers and resident birds hanging out in our branches and on our trunks? They eat and feed their young on the tiny pollinating insects that are attracted to our springtime blooms.
Did you know …
Last year, the Army Corps of Engineers completed an $8.1 million restoration project in Jackson Park? The Great Lakes Fishery & Ecosystem Restoration project included planting one million wildflowers, 330,000 shrubs and 1,300 trees on 140 acres of the park. Today, the Corps is requesting permission to modify the project under Section 408 undoing portions of that effort. We urge you to submit your comments in opposition to this modification as part of the public comment period now underway. Deadline: May 15, 2020.