Lacy is small by comparison so I'm not a fan for anything other than accent plantings. My all time favorite since wilt became a problem in Tx is Bur but the pollen and acorns are messy. So if you aren't willing to deal with golf ball size acorns,Chinquapin it is.

i leave the TX selection to those who will now the area better ...

but i also planted oaks when the kids were small .. and they are now over 20 ... and the trees are ALMOST big enough for a toddler swing .... lol.. i exaggerate a bit.. but i suspect regardless of the tree.. you will have to find another solution to the swing issue... regardless of what tree you pick ...in other words.. that criteria is the least of the variables in the decision process ....

always include big city name ... TX is variable across its breath ... it might matter ...

also.. a pic of the front yard.. might also help us help you ...

ken

oh.. as to the title ... the larger the transplant.. the longer it takes to regrow the root mass to get it mature.. and growing to specs ... it so.. a 4 foot tree might outgrow an 8 foot transplant inside 5 years ... tree time ... which is counted in decades ...

even if you go into the thousands of dollars for a huge professionally installed tree ... you will still have the lost root mass to regrow ...

it is said.. a tree is 2 to 3 times larger below ground.. compared to what you see above ... so image what is not in the pot or BB you buy ... and this is where the years /decades come in.. because you cant see all the work it is doing ...

ken

The tree nursery had me sold on a Bur Oak until my neighbor told me pretty much what klem1 mentioned about messiness. Glad to have reality checks from all of you. And the root mass growth rate - id not know that - thank you!

"it would be nice to have a tree that can handle a swing."

Any existing children would be grown and gone by the time the tree was ready.

You'd be planting it for their children!

We planted a 14' Nuttal Oak 10 years ago. We had it professionally installed. Today the tree is about 35' tall (taller that the average two story house) With its shade it has changed the micro environment of our yard, protecting our plantings from the intense southern summer sun.

About the only mess is the fall leaves, which are easily handled as they slowly fall. When they do they can be handled by the mower. From what I have read the Nuttal oak has to be at least 20 years old before it starts to produce acorns, so that will never be a problem I have to face.

I have a ten-year old Chinquapin, and it is nice. Grass doesn't grow under it, but mainly because I haven't trimmed off the lower branches. My neighbor has a bur oak, and it is hardly messy, The nuts are huge, ranging from golf-ball to softball size. So there aren't that many of them. But the problem with Bur oak is that it is VERY slow growing. My Chinquapin is 25 feet tall. That Bur oak was planted several years before, and it is barely 15 feet tall. It will NOT grow as fast as you want it to. Bur oaks are, I believe, the slowest growing oaks. Both are known to be resistant to wilt.

I'd love to see a picture of your Chinquapin, if you get the chance! How old/tall was it when you planted it?

I want to preface what I'm about to say with it is in no fashion an attempt to conterdict what Dan said above because it is the norm for Bur Oak. As with all living things,occasional specimens exibit uncommon traits. Polled Herford cattle is the result of such mutation.

In 1998 my grandson and I planted acorns in Collin County gethered beneath an exceptionally large Bur Oak in Dallas county and a exceptionaly upright and scaffolded Live Oak in in Fannin county. Not all but a few trees from those Bur acorns grew rapidly and people were amazed when told of age from acorns. Interestingly,the Live oak acorns resulted in various looking (as is common for Live Oak) trees,none that I considered remakable. The eye opener is what can only be a hybrid of Live and Bur. The hybrid's rate of growth was unbelievable and scaffolding is as perfect as a child'a sketch. When I noticed the difference in appearnce from trees sprouting from acorns,I protected 4 from being destroied by mower. Within 3 or 4 years I was like holy smokes,these trees are amazing and began keeping my eyes open for more volinteers. In case someone reads this and wonders,they should know. The volinteers came from acorns which squirrels buried and I trapped as many squirrels as possible to prevent them eating pecans,chewing holes in my house and nesting in the attic. Had I been able to use my guns,I could have easily wipped the squirrels out and never had volinteers. Collin county has a department of code inforcement which rival's the Mafia and Central America Cartels combined. RANT TIME. Did you ever see building code inspectors packing iron? Collin County's do,and as you will soon see,they would earn well deserved hinny kickings if they tried their monkey shines not armed. To my knowledge Collin County is the ONLY county in Texas that inforce's building code within city ETJ. That is immensely significant since 95% of city limits start miles before you reach the city. The state hi-way is in the city limits but the thousands of acres on either side of road is not in city limits but ETJ. To put this in perspective for those in rural Hill Country,Rolling Plains or Piney woods ,how would you feel? If a banty rooster wearing a hog leg drove up to inform you that you have 72 hours to mow that patch of weeds (aka butterfly garden) or face a fine or possible jail if this is a repeat offense. How bout you have 10 days to present contract and 120 days to complete installing a 32" long culvert at the interance to your place? You must inspect and register that old beat up truck or put in an inclosed building or it will be towed and impounded. "Buu,,,but,but that's just the old truck we drive around on our place because our mini van hit's high center on the rocks and chug holes". Well it say's right here in cc106.092 bla bla bla. Shutin squirrels or letting off shots for any reason is in violation of multiple ordanacies. I could go on and on but you should know that the fact your neighbors do that stuff all the time isn't a defense. Why not? A. Because they pay grease B. Because they only inforce this stuff if you p,,, them off or they need to push people around and force you to sell thier property to some Good Ole Boy. Rant over. As it stand's today. When I sold the origional property,I told the buyer about the hybrids. He cleared the home,outbuildings and most trees during planned improvements that fell through. From the locked gate to vacant land I can see 2 origional Burs and 1 of the origional 4 hybrids. Before I sold property,I potted 4 hybrids in late fall, nurtured them 2 winters in 15 gallon barrels then gave 2 to a young friend that lead me to believe he was interested in propagating the stock. He lost interest,let them wither and die without putting them in ground. The other 2 I planted in my son's back yard. Eventhough I had a long discussion about location,they called me the following year asking how to relocate 1 to make room for a pool. It was June so I told them unless they are ready to make a heroic effort, may as well cut it down. The other is still there never ceasing to amaze all who see it. I'm disappointed but not angry one of the kids never got on board to help propagate the trees. I look at it like this. To some it would be a dream come true whereas I would consider it a waste of both our time if someone offered teaching me to average 65 on the world's toughest golf courses.

Remind me to tell you some day about my unsuccesful attempts to propagate grapes,peaches and Black Walnuts from granddad's orchard.

There is a Bur Oak in the cortyard of the nursing home my MIL stayed in here in Temple before she passed away. I actually collected the acorns it dropped to make Christmas/Fall decorations. They have huge acorns (these were about 2" long). I don't recall that tree being all that messy. It was no messier than most Magnolias, Empress Powloniia trees, or even the average mess Crepe Myrtles planted near driveways or patios IMHO. I'd guess this Bur Oak was about 25' tall and about 15-16' wide. They kept it limbed up off the ground pretty well. I sure would consider planting one at our cabin property but I don't have enough room for one here in the city. Too many trees here now planted by former owners.

Maybe I was being too hard on my Bur Oak when I said they were messy. All things taken in consideration,they have enough desirable traits a few Fat Albert acorns aren't a big deal. I'm happy to see more being planted in street medians lately.

I’ve read a lot about oaks lately. I want to put one in my front yard. I have a small side yard. I want to but it there to eventually shade my front yard from the afternoon sun. I have been wanting to put a native dogwood in the landscaping out front but want a bigger tree to provide some shade. I was looking into bur oak. I haven’t read about Too much mess compared to other trees. I think it takes 35 years to produce acorns.

James, my 'Kreider' burr above was only 8 yrs old & started producing acorns. But then it was a chosen selection for producing edible acorns early (the acorns are not bitter).

The Bur Oak that my neighbor has was planted about fifteen years ago, and it is producing ENORMOUS acorns. Has been for a few years. But it's only fifteen feet tall. If you want a big tree in your lifetime, don't plant Bur Oak.

See below for a picture of my ten year old Chinquapin. It was a four-foot stick when I planted it. The trunk is now about eight inches in diameter.

Love seeing this picture!! Thank you! I think I'm going with 2 Chinquapins (per Austin permitting, I need 5 total inches).