The ‘Motherload’ cultivar of bur oak, also known as mossy cup oak, is a dwarf, slow-growing vase-shaped selection with cute stubby branches. It has large dark green leaves that flip up to show their pale undersides. As it grows older, it will get wider than it is tall, developing a nice rounded top. Like all bur oaks, this is a tough plant that can withstand a wide range of site conditions including clay soils and droughts (after establishment - you will still need to keep it watered and happy for the first few seasons as it settles into its new home!). The fall color on this tree may be a little lackluster but it more than makes up for it with its accessible form and utterly adorable form. And even more than that, oaks in our area can host over 500 different species of moths and butterflies, making it a true wildlife powerhouse.
This is a very rare and slow-growing selection.
Conditions: Full sun to part shade; clay to loamy, well-drained soils
Size: 6’-7’ tall, 7’-8’ wide
Zone: 3 - 8
Wildlife Value: Larval host for hundreds of moth and butterfly species, including Rosy Maple Moth, Giant Leopard Moth, Elm Sphinx, and Royal Walnut Moth; if this cultivar fruits (we are uncertain), acorns can also provide food for numerous small critters
Photo: Bruce Kirchoff