Oak is a genus of plants that belongs to the beech family. It comes in two varieties: tree and shrub. Oak combines over 500 species. The tree habitat 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. Leaves and fruits are well recognizable, partially edible and healthy.
Ripening cycle
Oak is a tree that belongs to the evergreen species of plants. Its crown may not change for several years. Nevertheless, there are breeds in which the leaves fall with the onset of the first frosts. The inflorescences of the tree are same-sex, small. It is worth noting that the crown cover during pollination is poorly developed. Strong flowers are only female, male earrings can fall at the slightest blow of the wind. It is noteworthy that oak is a tree for pollination of which flakes of two floors are necessary at once. Ripening of the fetus takes place in a roller, which is a small saucer. Subsequently, an acorn grows in it. Each oak species has different fruits and shapes. In some species, acorns are elongated, in the second - round and small, in the third - walnut. Cross breeds are allowed, but this is likely to lead to a noticeable decrease in yield.
The tree grows extremely slowly, but it can live for hundreds of years. The root system is formed during the first year, then it is constantly developing. It is interesting that after cutting oak after a while, powerful shoots sprout plentifully from the stump. Oak is a tree that is not too demanding on the soil, so the soil can be any. Natural reproduction occurs by acorns. The height of the oak varies up to 40-45 meters. The crown volume depends on the breed and climate.
Description of the oak oak
This type of plant is considered to be ordinary, since it is the most common in the European part of the planet. Oak from the acorn sprouts 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 a heavy wind. Under moderate conditions and a developed root system, leafy 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 insignificant teeth. Such trees bloom in late spring. Ordinary oaks are very fond of the sun, as it is a heat-resistant plant. Acorns up to 3.5 cm long.
Features of fluffy oak
Most often, representatives of this breed are found in Transcaucasia, in the Crimea, as well as in Asia Minor and southern Europe. In height, the trees reach only 8-10 meters. Differ in durability and heat resistance. I must say, such oak species are significantly inferior to many other varieties in height. But they have a very winding thick trunk with sprawling 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. In shape they are variable, grow in pairs, the blades are slightly pointed, dark green. Interestingly, the scales surrounding the acorn are very fluffy and soft.
Stone oak structure
The birthplace of the tree is considered to be 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 barrel is gray, smooth. The crown is sprawling, thick. The leaves themselves are small, variable in shape, shiny, bright green, leathery. The fruits ripen only in the second year. Oak grows rapidly, despite the climate. Frosts up to -20 degrees and heat up to +40 are suitable for him. Shade tolerant, drought tolerant. The rock is called stone due to the fact that the trees mainly grow on the rocks in the mountains.
Distinctive features of red oak
Most often found on the banks of rivers. He does not like stagnation of water in the soil. The homeland of red oak is considered North America, in particular, Canada. In height, such trees reach 25 meters. Externally, the trunk is slender, smooth. The gray bark darkens and cracks over time. The crown of the oak is hipped, green with yellowish tints closer to the ground. The leaves are large, sometimes their diameter reaches 25 cm. They have pointed lobes. In autumn they turn red and fall.
The fruits are small, spherical, size - no more than 2 cm. Ripe red acorns, slightly give brown. Ripen by the end of autumn, the first year is barren. Sustainable fruitfulness - up to 20 years. The tree is frost-resistant, calmly withstands strong winds and bright suns.
Interesting facts about white oak
The birthplace of the plant is the east coast of North America. Large stands are found in forests with limestone-rich soil. Easy to get along with other oak species. It is important that the range is not higher than a kilometer above sea level. White oaks do not tolerate severe frosts. The height of an adult tree is about 30 meters. The crown is powerful, tent-like, formed by sprawling branches. The color of the bark is gray. Old trees almost do not crack, in contrast to the pedigree species. 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 turn purple and fall off. The length of the acorn is up to 2.5 cm. The fruits are almost not covered by scales, therefore they often fall from the tree from strong gusts of wind.
Description of large oak
These trees are a North American species. Germinate up to 30 meters high. The trunk is thick, brown in color, severely cracking after several years from the time of emergence. The hipped shape of the crown is achieved by powerful sprawling branches.
The foliage is oblong, lobed, has a dark green color, glistens in the sun and after rain. In autumn, the entire crown falls, sometimes along with thin branches. It is worth noting the diameter of the leaves is 25 cm. The acorns are large, often reach a length of 5 cm. They are oval in shape, covered by scales by a third. Large-fruited oak sprouts at an average rate. Seeds are very moisture-loving and frost-resistant. Because of this, the breed is considered decorative.
Protected Chestnut Oak
Widely distributed in Armenia, Iran and the north of the Caucasus. It is not amenable to cultivation. Most of the plantations are wild. In the mid-20th century, these trees were listed in the Red Book, so their felling is strictly prohibited. In the Girkan Reserve, specially trained people watch them. Interestingly, chestnut oak is a mixture of several wild species that grow mainly on the ridges of 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 quite slender and thin, sprawling branches. Large chestnut leaves additionally emphasize the grandeur of the hipped crown. Acorns swell up to 3 cm in length.
Swamp oak (pyramidal)
The birthplace of the breed is considered the southern regions of Canada. The tree reaches a height of about 25 meters. Crohn from a distance resembles a pyramid. It is worth noting that the trunk almost merges with the leaves. The fact is that the bark of 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 turns purple. Fruits are spherical, sessile, about 1.5 cm in diameter. Oak seeds love water, like mature trees. For additional moisture, the root system goes deep into the ground. The habitat of the breed is a marshland. Pyramidal oak grows quickly, dies with prolonged frosts. Often large wild plantations can be found on the shores of lakes and reservoirs.
Cultivation and reproduction
Saplings of oak and large-fruited oak are very demanding on moisture and mineral wealth of the soil. That is why they quickly emerge in river floodplains and deep forest loams. It is not recommended to sow oak seedlings in the podzolic soil. In such soil, the sprouts will quickly die, since the roots will not be able to gain a foothold due to the high acidity of the humus. It is advisable to sow acorns in late autumn. The fruits must be fresh. If we allow the slightest drying of acorns, then germination will be significantly reduced. The depth of planting is from 5 to 8 cm. Before growing oak, it is important to know that the soil must be fertilized when 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 do not give acorns due to circumstances. For it, you can use the reproduction procedure. Green cuttings should be rooted in the first half of summer. It will not be superfluous to use special heteroauxins as fertilizer. In addition, you need to know that the cuttings of young trees sprout much faster and easier than old ones (more than 20 years).
Features of pruning oaks
Representatives of this family of trees love careful care, despite the fact that they are considered wild-growing. Especially crop yields are affected by pruning. 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 can not be limited in height. She always dominates the rest of the shoots. Pruning should be done every few years. The best period for removing 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, 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 beneficial substances as organic oil, proteins, starch. Young leaves contain tannins, dyes, and pentosan groups. Thanks to this, effective anti-inflammatory drugs are made from wood and fruits.
The antispasmodic properties of oak are also well known. For example, tree bark effectively helps with colitis, intestinal bleeding, gastritis, spleen and liver disease. Oak tinctures increase mental and physical activity, calm the central nervous system, and improve 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, and stomach ulcers.
