Oak is a genus of plants that belongs to the beech family. There are two varieties: tree and shrub. Oak combines over 500 species. The habitat of the tree is represented by the Northern Hemisphere. The plant loves a temperate climate, so in the southern part of the planet it lives only in the tropical highlands. The leaves and fruits are well recognizable, partially edible and beneficial to he alth.
Maturation cycle
Oak is a tree that belongs to an evergreen plant species. Its crown may not change for several years. Nevertheless, there are species in which the leaves fall off with the onset of the first frost. The inflorescences of the tree are unisexual, small. It should be noted that the crown cover during pollination is poorly developed. Strong flowers are only female, male earrings can fall off at the slightest breath of wind. It is noteworthy that oak is a tree, for pollination of which scales of two sexes are needed at once. The ripening of the fruit occurs in the roller, which is a small saucer. Subsequently, an acorn grows in it. Each species of oak has different fruits and the shape of the roller. In some species, the acorns are elongated, in the second - round and small, in the third - nut-shaped. It is allowed to cross breeds, but this is with greatlikely to lead to a noticeable decrease in yield.
A tree grows extremely slowly, but it can live for hundreds of years. The root system is formed during the first year, then it constantly develops. It is interesting that after sawing down the oak, after some time, powerful shoots sprout abundantly from the stump. Oak is a tree that is not too demanding on the soil, so the soil can be anything. Natural reproduction occurs by acorns. The height of the oak varies up to 40-45 meters. The volume of the crown depends on the breed and climate.
Description of pedunculate oak
This type of plant is considered to be common, as it is the most common in the European part of the planet. An oak sprouts from an acorn in just six months. Further, over the course of 20 years, its trunk, crown and roots are formed. The oldest trees reach a height of 50 meters. The trunk and branches are thick, powerful, able to withstand even heavy wind. Under moderate conditions and a developed root system, pedunculate oaks can live up to 1000 years. The bark is dark brown, thick. The leaves are oblong, grow in bunches, have from 3 to 7 blunt lobes with slight teeth. These trees bloom in late spring. Common oaks are very fond of the sun, as it is a heat-resistant plant. Acorns up to 3.5 cm long.
Features of downy oak
Most often, representatives of this breed are found in the Transcaucasus, in the Crimea, as well as in Asia Minor and in southern Europe. The trees reach a height of only 8-10 meters. Differ in durability and heat resistance. I must say, such species of oakssignificantly inferior to many other varieties in height. But they have a very sinuous thick trunk with spreading branches. Due to its small size and wide crown, the plant often resembles a large shrub from a distance.
The length of the leaves sometimes reaches 10 cm. They are variable in shape, grow in pairs, the lobes are slightly pointed, dark green. Interestingly, the scales surrounding the acorn are very fluffy and soft.
Holm oak structure
The tree is considered to be native to the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. At the moment they are actively cultivated in North Africa and Europe. This is an evergreen plant whose height is 22-25 meters. The trunk is gray, smooth. The crown is spreading, dense. The leaves themselves are small, variable in shape, shiny, bright green in color, leathery. The fruits ripen only in the second year. Oak grows rapidly, regardless of the climate. It is suitable for frosts down to -20 degrees and heat up to +40. Shade tolerant, drought tolerant. The breed is called stone due to the fact that trees mainly grow on rocks, in mountainous areas.
Distinctive features of red oak
Most often found on the banks of rivers. Does not like stagnant water in the soil. Red oak is considered to be native to North America, particularly Canada. In height, such trees reach 25 meters. Outwardly, the trunk is slender, smooth. The gray bark darkens and cracks over time. The oak crown is tent-shaped, green with yellowish tints closer to the ground. The leaves are large, sometimes their diameter reaches 25 cm. They have pointed lobes. Redden in autumn andfall off.
Fruits are small, spherical, sizes - no more than 2 cm. Ripe acorns are red, slightly brown. Ripens by the end of autumn, the first year is lean. Steady fruitfulness - up to 20 years. The tree is frost-resistant, calmly resists strong winds and bright sun.
Interesting white oak facts
The plant is native to the east coast of North America. Large plantings are noted in forests with limestone-rich soil. Easily gets along with other breeds of oaks. It is important that the area was no higher than a kilometer above sea level. White oaks cannot stand severe frosts. The height of an adult tree is about 30 meters. The crown is powerful, tent-shaped, formed by sprawling branches. The color of the bark is grey. Old trees almost do not crack, unlike petiolate. The leaves are oval, large (up to 22 cm), have up to 9 lobes. During blooming, they turn red, in the summer they turn green, closer to winter they become purple and fall off. The length of the acorn is up to 2.5 cm. The scales of the fruits are almost not covered, therefore they often fall from the tree from strong gusts of wind.
Description of large-fruited oak
These trees are a North American species. Grows up to 30 meters high. The trunk is thick, brown in color, cracking heavily after several years from the moment of emergence. The hipped form of the crown is achieved by powerful spreading branches.
The foliage is oblong, lobed, has a dark green color, shines in the sun and after rain. In autumn, the entire crown falls, sometimesalong with thin branches. It is worth noting the diameter of the leaves - 25 cm. The acorns are large, often reaching a length of 5 cm. Oval in shape, covered by scales by a third. Large-fruited oak sprouts at an average speed. Seeds are very moisture-loving and frost-resistant. Because of this, the breed is considered decorative.
Reserved Chestnut Oak
Widely distributed in Armenia, Iran and the north of the Caucasus. Cultivation is not amenable. Most of the plantings are wild. In the middle of the 20th century, these trees were listed in the Red Book, so their felling is strictly prohibited. In the Hyrkansky Reserve, they are watched over by specially trained people. Interestingly, the chestnut oak is a mixture of several wild species growing mainly on the crests of the ridges. Very photophilous, moderately resistant to frost, but does not tolerate drought.
When the oak leaves blossom, the tree looks like a huge chestnut, 30 meters high. The trunk is rather slender and thin, the branches are sprawling. Large chestnut-shaped leaves additionally emphasize the grandeur of the tent-shaped crown. Acorns swell up to 3 cm in length.
Marsh oak (pyramidal)
The southern regions of Canada are considered the birthplace of the breed. The tree reaches a height of about 25 meters. The crown resembles a pyramid from a distance. It is worth noting that the trunk practically merges with the leaves. The fact is that the bark of the swamp oak is completely green with an admixture of brown. The leaves are medium, have deep cuts and teeth. The color of the crown is green, but by autumn it becomes purple. Fruits are spherical, sessile, about 1.5 cmin diameter. Oak seeds love water, just like mature trees. For additional moisture, the root system goes deep into the ground. The habitat of the breed is a swampy area. The pyramidal oak grows quickly, and dies with prolonged frosts. Often large wild stands can be found on the shores of lakes and reservoirs.
Cultivation and reproduction
Pedunculate and large-fruited oak seedlings are very demanding on moisture and mineral richness of the soil. That is why they quickly emerge in floodplains and deep forest loams. It is not recommended to sow oak seedlings in podzol soil. In such soil, the sprouts will quickly die, as the roots will not be able to gain a foothold due to the high acidity of the humus. It is desirable to sow acorns in late autumn. The fruits must be fresh. If you allow the slightest drying of acorns, then germination will decrease significantly. Planting depth - from 5 to 8 cm. Before growing oak, it is important to know that the soil must be fertilized during sowing. To protect the sprouts from pests, it is necessary to cover them with spruce branches. It is also important to maintain a stable soil temperature (at least +2 degrees).
Many gardeners are wondering how to grow oak if other trees, due to circumstances, do not produce acorns. For it, you can use the breeding procedure. Green cuttings should be rooted in the first half of summer. It will not be superfluous to use special heteroauxins as a fertilizer. In addition, you need to know that cuttings of young trees germinate much faster and easier than old ones (more than 20 years old).
Oak pruning features
Representatives of this family of trees love careful care, despite the fact that they are considered wild. The pruning procedure especially affects the yield. Oak is a tree with monopodial branching. Therefore, the main stem must continue to grow until the end of the plant's life. In this case, the top cannot be limited in height. She always dominates the rest of the shoots. Pruning of branches should be done every few years. The best time to remove branches is early spring or late winter. It is important that the air temperature is not lower than -5 degrees. Otherwise, frostbite will appear at the cut points. By summer, these branches will dry to the ground. If there are a large number of them, then the whole tree will die. Only new shoots, growths and diseased branches should be removed.
Useful and harmful properties of oak
For medical purposes, the bark and young branches of a tree are often used, as well as acorns, less often leaves. The upper layers of the oak trunk contain a lot of resin, acids, sugar and pectin. The composition of the fruit includes such useful substances as organic oil, proteins, starch. Young leaves contain tannins, dyes and pentosans. Thanks to this, effective anti-inflammatory drugs are produced from the tree and fruits.
The antispasmodic properties of oak are also well known. For example, tree bark effectively helps with colitis, intestinal bleeding, gastritis, diseases of the spleen and liver. Oak tinctures increase mental and physicalactivity, calm the central nervous system, improve the patency of the vascular system. On the other hand, preparations based on this plant are contraindicated in children and patients suffering from constipation, hemorrhoids, nausea, stomach ulcers.
Use of resources
Oaks are in most cases used in construction and cooking, as well as in light industry. Sawdust is used to make corks and furniture. Wood is optimally suited for surface ships, fortifications, machine building, barrel making. The boards do not swell, burn poorly, are durable, hard and dense. When oak leaves blossom and acorns ripen, it's time for cooks. In North America, the fruits of the tree are often added to coffee, candy, and the most sophisticated dishes. In Asia, acorns are eaten fried with spices.
