Oak, common

The common, pedunculate, or English, oak is the commonest tree in southern and central British broadleaved woods. In fact, throughout Europe it has been the predominant timber tree since prehistoric times.

What other names does it have?

Can also be known as	English oak Pedunculate oak Sussex weed
Generic name	Oak
Latin name	Quercus robur
Family name	Beech
Latin family name	Fagaceae

What type of tree is it?

Is it a broadleaf or conifer?	It is a broadleaf
Does it lose its leaves in autumn?	Yes, it is deciduous

Species description:

Average height	15-25m

Leaf

Description	The leaves have large deep lobes and smooth edges. There are two tiny lobes where the leaf joins the stalk
Shape	Lobed
Colour	Dark green
Colour of leaves in autumn	Orangey-brown
Leaf bud	Orange-brown oval buds which cluster at the tips
Leaf stalk	Short stalk
Leaf arrangement	Alternate
Leaf burst usually occurs	Mid-May

Flower, seed, and fruit

Type of flower	Catkin
Flowering season	Early May till late June
Tree/flower sex	Both sexes
Fruit colour	Green ripening to brown
Type of seed body	Acorn
Seeds dispersed by	Wildlife

Bark and twig

Bark description	Grey with knobbly ridges
Twig Description	Brown twig

What other trees are similar?

Can easily be confused with?	Sessile oak - which has long stalks on the leaves and almost no stalk on the acorn Turkey oak - which has long whiskery buds and a 'mossy' cup on the acorn

Where is it usually found?

Is it native or non-native to the British Isles?	Native
Where is its natural range?	Britain and Ireland
Preferred soil type or environmental conditions?	Abundant in most conditions except marshy, very light or chalky soils. Most common in south-east and central England
What is its British conservation status?	Common

Additional information

Human uses of tree and timber

Traditionally there have been four main uses of oak. The most prominent is as a timber tree. Oak was a highly prized timber and was particularly used in ship building in the days of wooden ships. Its timber is also used in buildings, for furniture and a whole range of other uses. The other uses include the bark which was used for tanning leather; the acorns which were used for fattening pigs as they are a rich food source; and like many other trees the smaller branches and twigs were used for firewood or charcoal making. Because of our long history with the oak tree, oaks are often used in ceremonial or commorative plantings. For example every school in Lincolnshire was given an oak tree to plant in it's grounds to celebrate the Queen mother's 80th birthday

Tree lore and folklore

The oak tree has a long history of folklore throughout Europe. The oak was sacred to many people, including the ancient Greeks, the Norse and the Celts. It was often associated with the gods of thunder as oak was often split by lightning. This is probably because oaks are often the tallest tree any area. More recently oak was the sacred wood burnt by the druids for their mid-summer sacrifice. In fact the word 'druid' means 'oak man' In modern history, tradition has it that Charles II hid in an oak tree at Boscobel when pursued by the Roundheads. Since then, children wear oak leaves on May 29th to commemorate Royal Oak Day (now known as Oak Apple Day).

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