It is distinguished by a huge variety (up to 600) species. They are common in temperate and tropical zones of the northern hemisphere, reaching even to the north South America. Many species are forest-forming species, others occur as admixtures. Their requirements for growing conditions are very different from each other.
Among them there are both moisture-loving and drought-resistant, light-loving and shade-tolerant, tolerating fairly low temperatures and very heat-loving species. Oaks can be evergreen and deciduous, and their leaves are entire, serrated, more or less lobed.
Occasionally, oak grows as a bush, some species are low trees, most species are powerful giants with a spherical crown, powerful trunks and a root system that is highly developed both in depth and in width. Staminate or pistillate flowers are found in different inflorescences. The fruit is an acorn surrounded by a plus, covered with scales on the outside. Oak trees reproduce by acorns sown in the fall, as they quickly lose their germination capacity. For spring sowing, they must be stored at a temperature of 2-4 C. Oak can also be propagated by cuttings, but they have a low rooting percentage. In the first year of life, the tap root that forms makes replanting difficult, so to obtain a developed fibrous root system, it should be pruned. At first, the oak grows in height slowly; after the 5th year, the growth rate of the main shoot increases sharply.
This is one of the most durable breeds. Its bark, wood, and acorns are used. The latter contain a large amount of starch, they are used to prepare a coffee substitute, alcohol, or to fatten pigs. Some oak species have sweet acorns that are edible fresh or roasted. The bark of the cork oak tree is used to make cork. Wood, bark, galls formed on leaves, as well as plush contain many tannins (tannids) used for tanning leather. Oak is indispensable in landscaping. It has long been, together with the linden, the main tree when creating landscape parks, and is often found in manor parks in the temperate zone. It is planted alone in clearings standing trees, create groups, arrays, alleys, and are used in forest belts in forest, forest-steppe and steppe zones.
Oak in the landscape design of a garden plot
When we think of an oak tree, we immediately imagine a thousand-year-old fairy-tale giant. It must be admitted that young oak trees also have a respectable growth... If you let them. So, before we settle an oak tree, let's think about what we want to see in 10-20 years. A slender oak tree can be a solitaire on lawn, but it is also possible to use its bush form as a frame for a “edge” or a hedge. Keep in mind that oak blooms late, so in the spring you will see its openwork crown against the background of the young foliage of other plants.
Planting an oak
The easiest way to grow an oak tree is from a mature acorn. The acorn, like many large seeds, germinates very easily. This is the most reliable method, and if you entrust this task to a child, it is also exciting and useful. Just imagine how a child will run every day to check if the acorn has sprouted. And fantasize about telling his children and grandchildren that he himself once planted that huge oak tree...
You can transplant a small oak tree from the forest or from a country street where it grew on its own. But keep in mind that even a very young oak tree has a very long root, it is difficult to dig it up entirely, especially from dense forest soil intertwined with many roots, or from the compacted side of the street. The slightest damage The oak tree will not tolerate the taproot.
Decorative forms can also be found on sale now. Among them there are species that are resistant to the main scourge - oak powdery mildew. There are also forms with unusual foliage colors. By the way, you shouldn’t get carried away with unusually colored species. Individual plants with red, golden or striped leaves look interesting against a green background. The garden, full of colorful foliage even in summer, looks at least unnatural. When laying out parks and estates, the old masters subtly played with different shades of green.
Care
Weeding and watering in the first years of life. Control and prevention of powdery mildew, especially in very young trees. This fungus does not affect the entire tree, but only affects the foliage. But the loss of foliage is dangerous for immature plants.
Trimming and shaping
It is important. Without pruning, an oak tree will not fit in a dacha. For many trees and shrubs, I recommend starting shaping as early as possible. Not so with oak. Heavy pruning of a young oak tree turns it into an oak bush. If a hedge is not part of your plans, cut it later and let the stem form. After that, you can try your hand at topiary art - using a haircut to form a ball on a leg, for example.
What's the subtlety? Trimming only the growth along the entire crown promotes branching and thickening. This is a technique of topiary art. To maintain the natural shape of the crown, branches must be cut from the trunk. We remove part of the growth and entire branches. In this case, the crown turns out to be openwork and even lets in some sunlight.
Red oak.
Red oak occupies one of the most popular places in Russia among other types of oak. This is not surprising: red oak is the most frost-resistant among its fellows. Its frost resistance is 40 degrees, and if the root system is solid and the tap root is not cut, then the degree of its frost resistance increases. Despite the fact that oak trees do not grow in the wild on the territory of the Tomsk region, there are concrete examples of oak growing here and successfully!
Red oak - slender tree up to 25 m tall, with a dense tent-shaped crown. The trunk is covered with thin, smooth, gray bark, cracking in old trees. Young shoots are reddish-felt, annual shoots are reddish-brown, smooth. The leaves are deeply notched, thin, shiny, up to 15-20 cm, with 4-5 pointed lobes on each side of the leaf, reddish when blooming, dark green in summer, lighter below, scarlet-red in autumn, before falling, in young trees, in older ones they are brownish-brown.
The red oak blooms at the same time as the leaves bloom. Acorns are spherical in shape, up to 2 cm, red-brown, as if chopped off at the bottom, unlike pedunculate oak, and ripen in the fall of the second year. Fruits steadily and abundantly from 15-20 years. When young it grows faster than European oaks.
The conditions for successfully growing oak are as follows:
A good place to land. Red oak loves dry and bright places with acidic soil(pH 5.5-7.5), so there is no need to pour ash into the planting hole. It cannot be planted where the soil is flooded in the spring, or where there is constant stagnation of water. Oak does not like stagnant water, so when planting it at the bottom of the hole, be sure to add drainage. And so that in a few years, when the soil in the planting hole settles, the root collar does not end up in a depression where water can accumulate in the spring, you need to plant the oak tree so that after the hole is finally filled with earth, the root collar of the seedling is on a small mound (the root collar is what the place where the roots go into the trunk). Over time, the mound will settle, and the root collar will be flush with the soil level. Oak is light-loving and susceptible to a disease called powdery mildew, so it must be planted in a bright, well-ventilated place;
Seedling health. To prevent the oak from getting powdery mildew, it should be sprayed from time to time with an infusion of kombucha (1-2 glasses of a month’s infusion per bucket of water) or shungite water, or a mixture of these solutions. But we must remember that this is a means of prevention, not control. When this fungal disease appears, then it’s too late. In general, it makes no sense to fight fungal diseases with the help of “chemistry,” but prevention using the above means gives excellent results;
Under no circumstances should plants be fertilized with fresh manure! Excess free nitrogen contained in manure forms loose tissue in all parts of the plant; the wood of such branches and trunks with loose tissue does not ripen by autumn, and in winter a plant fed with manure can become severely frozen or even die. Plants fed with manure are also susceptible to attack by pests and diseases, especially fungal diseases.
In red oak, unlike pedunculate oak, acorns ripen not in one season, but in two. And one more significant addition that needs to be mentioned for successful oak growing. Many plants (especially forest plants) grow very slowly without the presence of mycorrhiza on their roots. What is mycorrhiza? You probably know the different cap mushrooms that grow in the forest. So, these same mushrooms are already fruits, and the body of the mycelium itself is located in the upper layer of soil, its hyphae (thin threads of the fungal body) spread horizontally over many meters, plant roots and forming mycorrhiza on their surface, mycorrhiza is a community of roots of different plants and mycelium. Without this mutually beneficial partnership, some plants do not grow at all or grow very poorly, especially if they find themselves in unusual conditions. There are myceliums that specialize in certain plants, and there are universal ones. For example, porcini mushroom grows under pine and oak, boletus under aspen, boletus - under birch, fly agaric - under different plants, common fungus is a very versatile mycorrhizal mushroom, if you manage to have it in your garden, then any plants will be happy with it, and will grow and bear fruit very productively. How to infect oak roots with mycorrhiza? Find an old, overgrown porcini mushroom or common mushroom in the forest, bring them home, soak them for a day in a bucket of water (preferably rain or from some clean reservoir). After a day, pour this water into the holes made around the oak trunk, mulch the soil around the trunk with leaves from the forest, sow forest grasses or green manure in this place, and under no circumstances ever loosen or dig the soil around the trees. In this case, the growth of the mycelium is disrupted and it may die. This is the main secret of growing mycorrhizal fungi: they do not grow where the soil is loosened or dug up. When the mycelium grows (in about three years), the first mushrooms will appear. This will be a sign that you did everything right.
Red oak does not need shelter for the winter. It is prone to dampening of the root collar, so you need to make sure that the root collar is ventilated and does not get wet from weeds (especially woodlice). To avoid root collar rot, spring flooding should not be allowed. melt water And groundwater. If you have close-lying groundwater on your site, then you need to plant it on a mound and arrange drainage in the hole (pour broken brick or expanded clay, pebbles in a layer of 15-20 cm).
English oak (Q. robur)
One of the most important forest-forming species in Russia, widespread in nature from Western Europe to the Urals. In the north of the forest zone it grows in valleys, to the south - in mixed forests with spruce, and even further south it forms pure oak forests. In the forest-steppe and steppe zones it grows along ravines and ravines, not reaching such powerful development as in the forest zone. In urban plantings, oak can be found throughout its natural distribution area, with the possible exception of particularly dry places. Not a single forest park or city park can do without it. old manor. The planting of oak forests began with Peter I. The importance of oak in the national economy is great. It produces construction timber of very high quality. Beautiful and durable, it is used in carpentry, furniture, cooperage, shipbuilding and carriage building, is used to make parquet, and is also widely used for firewood.
Oak wood is light, with beautiful design, having lain for a long time under water, acquires a dark color (bog oak) and is especially valued in furniture production. Oak bark contains up to 20% tannins, wood - 6%. They are widely used for tanning leather. In a zone favorable for its growth, the oak reaches a height of 40 m, the trunk diameter exceeds 1 m. The largest old specimens live up to 1000-1500 years, with a trunk diameter of 4 m. Free-standing oaks form a dense, round, spreading crown, supported by powerful strong branches. Mature trees have thick, deeply longitudinally fissured, gray-brown bark. Young shoots are olive-brown, then red-brown. Leaves are up to 15 cm long and 7 cm wide, oblong-obovate, with ears at the base, with 6-7 blunt, long lobes, the depressions between them reach a third of the width of the blade.
The leaves are shiny, bare, green above, lighter below. In spring, in May, when the leaves begin to bloom, staminate catkins become noticeable at the base of the shoots. Pistillate flowers sit in the axils of the leaves on long peduncles of 2-5 pieces. Acorns are oval, 3.5 cm long and 2 cm in diameter with a spine at the top, brown-yellow, shiny, on a stalk, which is why this species is called petiolate. The plus is shallow, cup-shaped, 1 cm high, the scales covering it are gray-pubescent. Acorns ripen in October. Oak grows best on degraded chernozems and gray forest loams, with sufficient moisture. It is demanding of mineral and organic nutrition, protection from wind and direct sunlight, especially at an early age, but is drought- and salt-tolerant.
The majestic, stocky giant of the forest, the oak tree, is beautiful at any time of the year. In spring it pleases with its light yellowish-green foliage and long graceful yellow catkins; in summer it appears as a mighty giant with a thick dark crown, so dense that it can protect both from the scorching sun and from pouring rain. In autumn, the oak tree appears in a new guise. Its foliage turns yellow and then acquires a dark brown color. It falls off much later than other trees. In winter, an oak tree, even in a leafless state, is able to enchant with its power, when its deeply furrowed thick trunks emerge against the background of fallen snow, and the twigs and branches intertwined in a bizarre graphic design are reminiscent of the fabulous Berendey kingdom.
In our nursery you can buy seedlings oak wholesale and retail.
Oak- a mighty strong tree, a symbol of courage, fire, lightning and princely power. Oak is one of the most beloved and revered trees among European peoples. Under sacred oaks All the most important events took place among the Slavs - meetings, wedding ceremonies, courts. In sacred oak groves the oldest and most respected trees were surrounded by a fence, behind which only priests could enter.
In prehistoric times, almost half of Europe's forests were oak forests. The man dealt with it brilliantly wonderful tree. First he cut down and burned oak, freeing up the land for arable land, and then chopped it for firewood and Construction Materials. Oak, unfortunately, was excellent for both. The result is sad - there are tens of times fewer oak trees (about 3% of all European forests).
Oak names
There are many types of Oak in the world, but in Russia the most common is English Oak (Common Oak). The oak is called pedunculate for its long stalks.
Where does Oak grow?
Oak widespread in Western Europe and the European part of Russia. It reaches northwestern Russia as far as Finland. In the eastern direction, the northern limit of the Oak's distribution gradually descends to the south, and, approaching the Ural ridge, drops to 57° and somewhat to the south. The Urals are the eastern border of the English oak range.
What does Oak look like?
It is not difficult to distinguish an oak from other trees by its powerful stature.
Oak is a large tree, usually with a powerful crown and a powerful trunk. Reaches a height of 20-40 m. It can live up to 2000 years, but usually lives 300-400 years. The growth in height of Oak stops at the age of 100-200 years, the increase in thickness, although insignificant, continues throughout life.
Oak crown dense, spreading, with thick branches.
Oak bark thick, durable, wrinkled in an adult tree, dark in color.
Oak Leaves oblong with large rounded teeth.
The Oak tree slowly blooms its leaves - sometimes only by the beginning of June. And sometimes - on the second try, when the first leaves are eaten by the caterpillars.
Oak Flowers collected in long hanging earrings 2-3 cm long.
Oak Acorns usually oblong, growing from 1.5 to 5 cm. Acorns in summer Green colour, turn yellow and fall off in the fall. The acorns are smooth and neat to the touch, which makes them want to be collected, especially by children. The acorn caps are also beautiful. Inside the oak acorn are 2 yellowish or reddish segments, bitter in taste.
Acorns, the fruits of Oak, sit in special “glasses” - plush. Wild boars and domestic pigs love to feast on acorns, so already in the Middle Ages people grazed herds of thousands of pigs in oak forests. In Ivan Krylov's fable " Pig under the Oak“The ungrateful pig, having eaten acorns, begins to undermine the roots of the tree, harming it. From a biological point of view, the fabulist is mistaken: by digging up the soil and destroying pests, pigs brought only benefits to the oak forests.
When does Oak bloom?
Oak trees are blooming usually at maturity between 40 and 60 years of age, along with leaf outburst, usually in May.
Acorns ripen in September - October.
Has important medical significance Oak bark, since it contains a significant amount (up to 20%) of tannins, as well as flavonoids, pectin, tannin, starch, mucus and other natural antiseptics. A decoction of the bark, due to its tanning properties, has a strong astringent and anti-inflammatory effect.
Most valued and used in medicine Oak bark, especially the young ones. It is used mainly as an external remedy, sometimes internally, in the form of infusions, decoctions, and tea.
Oak bark and leaves have astringent, anti-inflammatory, anthelmintic, sedative, hemostatic actions.
Oak bark infusion taken for stomach diseases, diarrhea, gastritis, colic, intestinal inflammation, colitis, ulcerative colitis, gastrointestinal bleeding, liver disease, spleen. Warm infusion improves digestion.
Application of Oak
Oak bark decoction and leaves (1:10) are taken for kidney diseases, kidney bleeding, bloody urine, frequent urination (in small doses), and inflammation of the urinary tract.
Oak leaf infusion used for bedwetting (enuresis). Decoctions are also used for rinsing for inflammation of the oral mucosa, bad breath, inflammation of the tongue, for lotions for bedsores, frostbite of the hands and feet (baths), burns, wounds, skin inflammation, eczema, scrofula.
For sweaty feet, make baths from a decoction of the bark (2 tablespoons per 1 glass of water, boil for 1-2 minutes, leave until cool), and also pour crushed bark into socks for the day.
Coffee from Oak acorns: the acorns must be peeled, boiled, drained immediately, then coarsely chopped into pieces and fried until browned. Let cool and grind in a coffee grinder into powder. Brew like coffee, or can be used as a dietary supplement. This drink is given to children with cardiovascular and nervous systems.
Oak - contraindications
Can't be allowed overdose when consuming oak infusions or decoctions, as this may cause vomiting. Ingestion of oak preparations strictly prohibited for children.
Diseases and pests of Oak
One of the most dangerous Oak diseases is powdery mildew. A characteristic white coating appears on the leaves, as if they had been doused with soapy water. Disease seen in early stage, easily stopped by spraying with one percent solution copper sulfate .
Family: beech (Fagaceae).
Motherland
The oak tree can most often be found in regions of the Northern Hemisphere with a temperate climate. The southern limit of its habitat is the tropical highlands.
Form: tree or shrub.
Description
The oak plant is a powerful, tall, deciduous plant, less often with a voluminous lush plant. Oak leaves are leathery, in evergreen species they remain on the tree for several years, in other species they fall off every year or gradually dry out and decay and remain on the branches. The leaves are lobed; some evergreen species have entire leaves. The flowers are small, male and female, produced on the same plant. Male flowers are standing or long pendant earrings, female flowers are small bunches or also earrings. Most oak tree species make up a significant portion of mixed forests and are a source of valuable timber. As a tree, oak lives extremely long - three hundred to four hundred years; individual specimens are known to be up to two thousand years old. The oak tree generally grows in height only during the first hundred years, but its growth in thickness does not stop throughout its life. Oak fruits are acorns, characteristic of the entire beech family. An acorn is a dry single-seeded fruit, the hard pericarp of which is enclosed in a kind of cup - a plus. or beech fruits usually contain two or three acorns in a cluster; oak fruits differ in that there is only one acorn in a cluster. Oak is resistant to adverse conditions, durable, and at the same time it is very decorative tree. Oak is widely used in landscaping thanks to these qualities.
White oak (Q. alba) is a large tree up to 30 meters high with a spreading crown. The bark is gray, covered with shallow cracks. Oak leaves have an oblong-oval shape, quite large in size, up to 25 centimeters. In spring the leaves have a bright red color, in summer they become bright green, the underside of the leaf becomes matte White color. In autumn, the color of the leaves varies from burgundy to deep purple. White oak is native to eastern North America. Drought-resistant, but not frost-resistant enough. It is not picky about the level of soil moisture; white oak also tolerates saline soils well. Grows quite quickly, short time gains impressive heights. Thanks to rapid growth and its spectacular appearance, white oak is often used for decorative cultivation.
Red oak, or northern oak
(Q. rubra / Q. borealis) - a tall, up to 25 meters, tree with a dense crown, covered with smooth thin bark. 
Oak leaves are large with pointed blades. Red oak gets its name from the reddish-colored foliage in spring and fall before falling. Distributed in North America. Frost-resistant. It is not picky about soils, tolerates even acidic soils, but does not tolerate calcareous soils. Resistant to diseases and pests, tolerates air pollution well. Due to the listed qualities, red oak is actively used in landscaping.
Swamp oak (Q. palustris Muenchh) - a slender tree up to 25 meters high. It differs from most of its relatives in its pyramidal crown. The bark is smooth, greenish-brown. The leaves are bright green with deeply cut, pointed lobes. Homeland of the plant North America. Oak grows in moist soils along the shores of lakes and swamps, which is where it gets its name.
Mongolian oak (Q. mongolica Fisch) - tall, up to 30 meters, tree. The oak has a spherical, densely leafy crown. The leaves are dense, oblong or ovoid with short rounded blades. Mongolian oak grows in the southern regions of Eastern Siberia and the Far East. Frost-resistant. Grows slower than North American species.
Willow oak (Q. phellos) is a beautiful deciduous plant. The oak has a wide, rounded crown and a slender trunk. It is distinguished by long narrow leaves reminiscent of willow. Frost-resistant, undemanding to soil. Photophilous.
Large-fruited oak (Q. macrocarpa) - a tree with a spreading crown and a thick trunk. Reaches 30 meters in height. The trunk is covered with light brown, cracking bark. The leaves are dark green, oblong, lobed. Oak is moisture-loving and frost-resistant.
(Q. ilex) - evergreen tall plant. The oak reaches a height of 25 meters. 
It has a smooth dark gray trunk and a spreading dense crown. Features dense, leathery leaves small size(up to 8 cm). It grows on dry rocky soils in warm regions - southern Europe, northern Africa, the Mediterranean. However, it tolerates frosts down to -20°C without consequences. Shade-tolerant. Drought resistant. Tolerates haircuts well.
Sessile oak or sessile oak (Q. petraea Liebl) - a tree up to 30 m high with a tent-shaped crown. The leaves are large and lobed. The bark is smooth, in old plants it is covered with small cracks. Sessile oak is widespread in the Northern Crimea, the Northern Caucasus, as well as in western Ukraine, where it forms forests together with other deciduous trees. Photophilous.
Application
Many types of oak are decorative. Oak is used to create alleys, in single plantings, as well as in green areas, exclusively oak or in combination with other deciduous trees, for example, chestnut, plane tree, ginkgo, American ash. Small-leaved forms of holm oak are used to create. Red oak is used for noise protection.
Growing conditions
As a plant, oak is light-loving, frost-resistant, and drought-resistant. Most oak species are not demanding on soil composition - they can grow on acidic, dry, saline soils. Overmoistening is not advisable, although oak can withstand flooding for quite a long time. For the most part, oaks are light-loving, although some species tolerate lateral and complete shading.
Reproduction
Oak trees reproduce by acorns. Sowing with acorns is best done 
in the fall due to the fact that they are poorly stored in artificial conditions. Young trees are best planted in spring period. Also good results show coppice shoots, provided that the tree is at least twenty years old. Decorative varieties They reproduce by grafting; oak species that are resistant to adverse conditions, for example, downy oak, are used as a rootstock.
Planting and care
Planting is preferable in open, well-lit areas. After the soil settles, the root collar of the tree should not be located below ground level. For planting, you need sand, peat and turf soil, as well as a drainage layer of crushed stone of at least twenty centimeters. After planting and in the next four days, watering is necessary. Despite the drought resistance of the tree, late spring and in summer, in the absence of rain, regular watering is required. Young seedlings are much more sensitive to dry periods than adult plants. Before the onset of winter, mulching is necessary trunk circle. Peat compost and wood chips are suitable for this purpose. The layer can be from ten to fifteen centimeters. After the cold weather subsides, the tree will need fertilizing with urea, ammonium nitrate and mullein. As necessary, dead branches are removed and the trunk is cleared of spiny shoots.
Diseases and pests
Oak trees are susceptible to various infectious diseases wood caused by fungi and bacteria. Necrosis of trunks and branches is dangerous for oak, due to which the tree can dry out in a short time. One of the most dangerous oak diseases is powdery mildew. The disease, noticed in an early stage, is easily stopped by spraying with a one percent solution of copper sulfate. Oak leaves are very attractive to gall midges, small insect, laying eggs inside the leaf. Grown-up larvae form galls, dense spherical growths of yellow color. This can significantly ruin not only the condition, but also appearance tree. Also dangerous for oak are leaf-eating insects and stem pests such as large oak longhorned beetle, green oak leaf roller, and fruit cap moth. Damages caused by such organisms can stop growth and lead to the death of the plant. 
Popular forms
Shapes of holm oak:
- f. aureo-variegata - yellow-variegated form. Differs in foliage color;
- f. microphylla - small-leaved form;
- f. longifolia - long-leaved form;
- f. angustifolia - narrow-leaved form;
- f. crispa - form with curly leaves;
- f. rotundifolia - round-leaved form;
- f. integrifolia - whole-leaved form with lanceolate leaves without lobes;
- f. Fordii is a form of Ford. It has a pyramidal crown and small narrow leaves.
Sessile oak forms:
- f. pendula - weeping form, characterized by a drooping weeping crown;
- f. purpurea - purple form, young leaves have a dark purple color, later changing to rich green;
- f. variegata - variegated form, has white-variegated leaves.
Red oak shapes
- F. aurea - golden form. The height of an adult tree does not exceed 15 meters. The leaves are large and have pointed edges. The color of the leaves is rich bronze.
The story about the oak tree, grade 2, briefly outlined in this article, will help you prepare for biology and botany classes. The report about oak can be supplemented with interesting facts.
Message about the oak tree
Common oak description
Oak belongs to the genus of shrubs and the beech family. It's powerful strong tree, whose height is up to 50 meters. It grows very slowly. Every year it adds centimeters in height and only then begins to thicken. Oak is considered a long-liver and is associated with durability and wisdom. Its lifespan is up to 5 centuries, although there are representatives of oak trees on the planet whose age is more than 1000 years.
Oak is a deciduous tree. Its trunk averages 1.5 m in diameter. The bark is dark, dotted with cracks, wrinkled and sinuous. The shape of the leaves depends on the type of oak. They can be toothed, pinnate, lobed and others. The branches are curved and indirect. This is due to the fact that the tree is very sensitive to sun rays: its shoots stretch towards the light when growing and change their direction depending on the weather, period of year and time of day.
The root system is well developed. The roots are very large and go deep underground. The crown of the tree and its shape depend on the conditions of oak germination. In forests, the trunks are even and straight; trees growing separately become denser in width. If the oak grew in conditions of insufficient humidity and under the influence of wind, then the crowns will be deformed and irregular in shape.
Oak blooms in late spring. The flowers are green and small, invisible among the foliage. Female flowers consist of a pistil, while male flowers consist of stamens. Male flowers form inflorescences that resemble earrings, but female flowers look like green grains with a red top. Only female flowers can produce acorns.
How many types of oaks are there?
There are a total of 600 species of oaks. The most popular types of these trees are:
- Swamp oak
- Weeping oak
- English oak
- Long-legged oak
- Georgian oak
- Mongolian oak
- Sessile oak
- Chestnut oak
When does the oak tree produce acorns?
Oak begins to bear fruit after 30-40 years free places germination and after 50-60 years, when planted by man. Inconspicuous, small flowers are pollinated by the wind. The fruits (acorns) ripen in early autumn. But most trees remain without fruit, since oak bears fruit very rarely, once every 6-8 years.
Where does oak grow?
The tree can mainly be found in regions where a temperate climate prevails - in the Northern Hemisphere. Some types of oak trees grow in the tropics with low air temperatures. These are mainly high mountain regions. Trees prefer rich soils with average humidity levels. Rare species of oaks are found in swamps and places of insufficient humidity.
How to grow and plant oak?
The oak begins to bear fruit only from the age of 30 from the moment of planting. Its fruits are acorns. Decorative types oak trees are propagated by grafting. Optimal time tree planting - autumn, before the first frost and snow. But at this time, planted acorns can be eaten by hungry rodents. Therefore, fruits are often stored until spring, planted on warm days. Oak seeds must be alive, consist of yellow cotyledons and a reddish or yellow embryo inside. If you are planting a tree with sprouted sprouts, they are planted in the ground in the spring after the snow has melted. Be careful not to break off the fragile sprouts. It is imperative to remove the weeds so that they do not forget the growing tree.
- In France there is an oak tree that is older 2000 years. A whole room was set up in his hollow.
- The most expensive oak wood is made from bog oak, that is, wood that has lain no less 100 years under water.
- The oak is a sacred tree among many peoples. In Latin, "oak" means "handsome". He is considered the king among the trees. Therefore, it can often be seen on family coats of arms or images. Also, strong and durable oak is a symbol of the inviolability of contracts and traditions. Therefore, it was under oak trees that our ancestors concluded truces, performed rituals and held courts.
- IN Ancient Greece the oak was dedicated to Hercules and Zeus. And oak groves were considered the habitat of Demeter, the goddess of fertility.
- You can't hide under an oak tree during a thunderstorm.. If lightning hits it, it will burn to the ground.
We hope that the message about oak helped you prepare for the lesson, and you learned a lot useful information about this tree. And you can leave your story about the oak using the comment form below.
- What does English oak look like?
- Spreading
- Climate and soil
- Interesting features of wood
- Using wood
- Construction
- Industry
- Leaves and acorns
- Medicine
- When to collect material
- Interesting facts about oak
Common oak (lat. " Quercus robur") represents a genus of a family. It is also pedunculate oak, summer, English. The tree's homeland is the forests of southern Russia and eastern Europe.
What does English oak look like?
The common oak is a deciduous tree, its height reaches 50 meters, the girth of the trunk is up to 2 meters. It grows upward for an average of 200 years, then expands for the rest of its life. By this sign you can determine approximately how old the tree is. The lifespan of individual individuals is up to 500, or even more years.
The oldest representative of the species grows in Lithuania near the village of Stemluzh. Scientists were able to determine the approximate age of the centenarian - about 2000 years; historical documents contain his description. The Stemluzh oak tree still blooms and periodically bears fruit.
The oak root system has a main core that goes deep into the ground, due to which the tree receives reliable support and high vitality. Over time, lateral root processes of the first, second, third, etc., form and develop. order, the system takes on a spherical shape. The longest stem of a mature tree can be located 20 meters above the ground or deeper.
The young plant has smooth, light gray bark with smooth surface, with age it darkens and thickens up to 10 cm towards the end of the oak’s life, becoming covered with deep cracks.
The crown has a pyramidal structure, wide, spreading. A tree with strong branches growing alternately on a powerful trunk.
Everyone knows what an oak leaf looks like in Russia and in the world: lobed with a characteristic jagged-rounded edge of a simple shape. The veins protrude slightly from the main plane.
Oak fruits are acorns. They ripen by mid-autumn in September-October. They have a round, elongated shape, brownish-brown, sometimes yellowish in color. The fruit is recessed into a flat plush on a short stalk.
The buds are brown, scaly, ovoid with a pointed tip. The scales have a ciliated edge.
Oak fruits are set in the spring with the arrival of warmth in April-May. Flowering occurs at the same time as the leaves bloom. Flowers of different sexes:
- Women's reddish tint with a short leg;
- Men's have the appearance of yellow-green dangling earrings.
There are 2 types of wood: early and late. The early species blooms leaves in April-May and sheds them mid autumn until October. Flowering occurs at the same time. The late representative becomes active 2-3 weeks later than its counterpart; often the leaves remain on the branches throughout the winter and fall off in the spring with the swelling of new buds. Their appearance is practically no different.
The common oak bears fruit every 4-5 years after reaching an age of over 50 years.
Spreading
The plant does not like frost, so it is practically not found in northern latitudes. It forms forests in the middle and southern regions of Russia from the Urals to the Caucasus, where its homeland is located. It grows naturally in Western Europe, Western Asia and Africa.
Man spreads the species in different points Earth, but in unusual climatic conditions the tree develops worse: the trunk grows slowly, the height does not exceed 20 meters, it bears fruit unstably, often oak wood is no different high quality. Oak trees are used to create interesting park compositions, decorate alleys and populate forest belts.
IN normal conditions The common species grows in river valleys and forms mixed forests. The breed favorably coexists with representatives of coniferous and deciduous trees: beech, ash, maple.
Free-standing individuals are often found.
Climate and soil
The family loves a temperate climate: normal humidity, average temperatures. Mixed forests of Russia are the optimal habitat for oak trees.
For comfortable life requires rich in minerals and organic fertilizers soil. Wet and deep gray loams of forests are optimal for tree development. In such areas, the life expectancy of the oak is maximum; the trunk actively grows and remains alive for a long time.
Useful composition of wood and fruits
Oak wood and leaves are a storehouse of various microelements used by humans in various branches of medicine and industry:
- Up to 20% of wood and leaves are tannins; they are used in medicine and the leather industry.
- Gallic and egallic organic acids;
- Carbohydrates and sugars, in particular pentosans (up to 14%);
- Flavonoids;
- Microelements (in descending order): K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Mg, Cu, Zn, Al, Cr, Ba, V, Se, Ni, Sr, Pb, B, Ca, Se, Sr.
Acorns, as fruits for reproduction, also possess a number of substances that are useful and vital for development:
- Starches;
- Proteins;
- Carbohydrates (sugars);
- Saturated oils up to 5% of the total volume.
Oak forests serve as a source of unique wood, widely used in various industries due to its unique beneficial properties:
- Elasticity.
- High strength and density;
- High tensile strength in bending (95 MPa), compression (50 MPa), tensile strength (118 MPa);
- The treated trunk retains its specifications in high humidity and under water;
- Low shrinkage coefficient without cracking;
- Well preserved in air;
- The service life of structures and products reaches 100 years with proper care.
Using wood
A person uses all parts of a petiolate tree - leaves, trunk, acorns, buds. Each material has found application in different sectors of our life.
Construction
The oak trunk is a source of durable wood, which is used for the manufacture of building structures and products:
- Solid board;
- Parquet;
- Boards for covering walls and ceilings;
- Elements of window frames;
- Doors.
The material is durable, abrasion resistant, hard. The age of the oak directly affects the quality of the raw material: the older the plant, the stronger and more valuable the wood. Its color is uniform, its interesting texture and cut pattern look attractive and calm. Thanks to this quality, the material has found application in the furniture industry and the creation of interior items.
Industry
The use of ordinary oak wood has become widespread in the manufacture of components for:
- Shipbuilding;
- Mining industry;
- Hydraulic structures;
- Production of barrels for winemaking;
- Horse harnesses, carts, wheels, etc.
The trunk of an adult plant serves as raw material for efficient fuel.
Leaves and acorns
When flowering begins, bees pollinate the trees, collect pollen and nectar, from which valuable honey is obtained.
Acorns from the forest serve as food for wild boars and domestic pigs. The high nutritional value of the fruit is also suitable for humans: the mature material is dried, ground into flour and used for baking. And acorns processed in a special way are added to ground chicory - it turns out healthy drink, replacing coffee.
Leaves on young branches brought from the oak forest are tied into brooms that rival birch brooms - they are just as good in a bathhouse.
Medicine
Scientific information about the beneficial substances and healing properties of wood allows the material to be used as an independent or accompanying treatment for many diseases of various types.
The description of tannins as an astringent and anti-inflammatory agent has existed for centuries. The active components are contained in the bark. Drugs are prescribed for pathologies gastrointestinal tract and food poisoning, for bladder and kidney problems.
A decoction of bark and leaves is used externally. Tannins in their composition help when a violation occurs skin: wounds, abrasions, cuts, eczema, ulcers. In addition, decoctions and infusions are prescribed for gargling the throat and pharynx for acute respiratory viral infections and sore throats.
When prescribing concomitant herbal medicine, the doctor takes into account the characteristics of the main treatment, the course of the disease and the condition of the body. By combining factors, the specialist determines how long and in what form to use natural remedies. Self-treatment can only be of a preventive nature.
When to collect material
During the life and growth of a tree, the trunk acquires greater strength and density, and the material becomes valuable, so individuals of suitable size are selected for felling.
The bark is harvested in the month of sap flow, usually in April-May. It is dried in the open air, avoiding waterlogging.
Acorns for planting are collected in the fall, when the fruits reach their maturity. They are placed in artificial hibernation in a refrigerator or cellar until spring, after which they are germinated and planted in the ground. You can collect them in the first or second month of spring, when the snow has just melted and the acorn has not had time to take root.
It would seem that a tree is like a tree, but the species of the oak family is not so simple. Some Interesting Facts from the life of a stately plant.
- The breed is so diverse that there are about 600 representatives of the oak fraternity around the world. Many of them are similar to each other and can only be distinguished by advanced biologists.
- 80 years is a serious period, especially for a person’s life. And the eightieth anniversary marriage life called an “oak” wedding.
- There are two ways to determine how old an oak tree is: count the number of rings on the cut of the trunk or measure the circumference of the trunk in centimeters and derive the radius using the formula (circumference/2π)/2. New rings appear every year, expanding by 2-3 mm, based on this, we divide the resulting radius by 2-3 mm.
- Oak coal has a significant burning time, but the combustible material does not hold heat well, and powerful draft is required to maintain the process.
- Expensive construction and finishing material– bog oak. Wood artificial or naturally falls into water for a long period of time (up to 100 years), a significant increase in the strength of the raw material and the acquisition of a black color occur.
- For propagation, the plant in most cases uses small acorns rather than root shoots.
- Oak forests create optimal conditions for the life of many representatives of flora and fauna.
- Interesting sounds of oak can be heard: musician Bartholomaus Traubeck created a unique record using nanotechnology.
- Forests with oaks have healing powers. There is evidence that the leaves and bark secrete special phytoncides that relieve headaches and calm the nervous system.
- The species has high electrical conductivity - oaks are more likely than other trees to be struck by lightning.
- The lifespan of oak products can be several thousand years: in the English county of Norfolk, the Bronze Age monument Seahenge, created in the 21st century, was discovered. BC.
