How Do You Identify Red Oak, Black Oak, & Burr Oak Trees?
There are over 60 varieties of oak trees across the world, and telling them all apart is sometimes a bit difficult. The Northern Red Oak, Black Oak and Bur (sometimes spelled Burr) Oak are all oak varieties found in eastern North America below 5,000 feet. While all three of these tress may be oak trees, they each have some characteristics that clearly separate them from each other. Look at the overall shape of the tree. Black Oaks will have a tapering bole, the part of the trunk between the ground and the leaves, and an irregular looking crown of leaves. Both the Northern Red and Bur Oaks will have a round crown of leaves. These two trees will also have a long, clear bole when grown near other trees, and a short thick bole when grown in the open. (The bole is the part of the tree beneath the place where the branches start.) All three trees are over 80 feet tall when fully grown, with the Bur Oak being the tallest at 100 feet. Examine the bark on the tree. A Black Oak’s bark is almost b
