British Plants and Flowers – Oak

Name – The Old Norse word for tree was eik, but there were no oaks in Iceland so the word was used to mean ‘tree’ in general, however, the old norsemen loved the strength of English oak and came to call that tree ‘eik’ and use it to make the keels for their longboats because it was stronger and more flexible than their native pines and spruces.

Description - Oak leaves have a lobed margin in many species although some have serrated leaves (especially Live Oaks) or entire leaves with a smooth margin. The flowers are catkins, produced in spring. The fruit is the most distinctive part of the tree being a nut called an acorn, borne in a cup-like structure known as a cupule. Each acorn contains one seed (rarely two) and takes six to eighteen months to mature.

Origin - The oak is a common symbol of strength and endurance and has been chosen as the national tree of England, Estonia, France, Germany, the United States and Wales. In Celtic mythology it is the tree of doors, believed to be a gateway between worlds, or a place where portals could be erected. To grow your own oaks, gather acorns! Keep them for at least six months or even a year and then the acorn should be planted on the surface but about half-buried. You can set it on its side, or point-down – not cup down though. Use a high quality coarse soil as the roots need very good drainage and coarse mixtures promote good root development. Where winters are severe you can place the acorns and some compost in a plastic bag and store them in the fridge until spring. After planting, protect them from birds and animals with mesh or chicken wire as acorns are the favourite food for just about everything including crows, squirrels, badgers and even foxes. The wood of the oak has many uses apart from ships. The barrels in which red wines, sherry and Scotch whisky are aged, have always been made from oak. The barrels, which may be charred before use, contribute to the colour and the taste of the contents, imparting a desirable oaky tang and a rich fragrance. Oak wood chips are used for smoking fish, meat, cheeses and other foods too.

British plant oak photograph by testace, used under a creative commons attribution licence

 

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