Family: beech (Fagaceae).

Motherland

Most often, the oak tree can be found in regions of the Northern Hemisphere with a temperate climate. The southern limit of its habitat is the tropical highlands.

The form: tree or shrub.

Description

The oak plant is powerful, tall, deciduous, less often with voluminous lush. 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 drying out and decaying, remain on the branches. The leaves are lobed, some evergreen species are entire. The flowers are small, male and female are formed on the same plant. Male flowers are erect or long dangling catkins, female flowers are small bunches or also catkins. Most of the oak tree species make up a significant part of mixed forests and are a source of valuable timber. Like a tree, oak lives extremely long - three hundred - four hundred years, individual specimens are known up to two thousand years old. The oak tree grows mainly in height only for the first hundred years, while growth in thickness does not stop throughout its life. Oak fruits - acorns, are characteristic of the entire beech family. The acorn is a dry one-seeded fruit, the rigid pericarp of which is enclosed in a kind of cup - a plush. or beech usually contain two or three acorns in a cup, oak fruits differ in that there is one acorn in a cup. Oak is resistant to adverse conditions, durable, and at the same time it is a very decorative tree. Oak is widely used in landscaping due to these qualities.

white oak (Q. alba) - a large tree up to 30 meters high with a spreading crown. The bark is gray, covered with shallow cracks. Oak leaves are oblong-oval in shape, quite large in size, up to 25 centimeters. In spring, the leaves are bright red in color, in summer they become bright green, the underside of the leaf acquires a matte white color. In autumn, the shade of the leaves varies from burgundy to rich purple. White oak is native to eastern North America. Drought tolerant, but not hardy enough. It is not picky about the level of soil moisture; white oak also tolerates saline soils well. It grows quite quickly, gaining impressive height in a short time. Due to its rapid growth and spectacular appearance, white oak is often used for decorative cultivation.

Red oak or northern oak (Q. rubra / Q. borealis) - high, up to 25 meters, a tree with a dense crown, covered with smooth thin bark. Oak leaves are large with pointed lobes. Red oak got its name because of the reddish foliage in spring and autumn before falling. Distributed in North America. Frost-resistant. Not picky about soils, tolerates even acidic, but does not tolerate calcareous soils. Resistant to diseases and pests, tolerates air pollution well. Due to these 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 relatives by its pyramidal crown. The bark is smooth, greenish-brown. The leaves are bright green with deeply cut pointed lobes. The plant is native to North America. Oak grows on wet soils along the shores of lakes and swamps, from which it got its name.

Mongolian oak (Q. mongolica Fisch) - high, up to 30 meters, tree. Oak has a spherical densely leafy crown. The leaves are dense, oblong or ovoid in shape with short rounded lobes. 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. Oak has a wide rounded crown and a slender trunk. Differs in long narrow leaves resembling willow. Frost-resistant, undemanding to the 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, frost-resistant.

(Q. ilex) is an evergreen tall plant. Oak reaches a height of 25 meters. It has a smooth dark gray trunk and a spreading dense crown. Differs in dense leathery leaves of small size (up to 8 cm). It grows on dry stony soils in warm regions - in southern Europe, northern Africa, the Mediterranean. However, it tolerates frosts down to -20°C without consequences. Shade-tolerant. Drought tolerant. Handles haircut well.

Oak rock, or sessile color (Q. petraea Liebl) - a tree up to 30 m high with a tent-shaped crown. The leaves are large, lobed. The bark is smooth, in old plants covered with small cracks. Rock oak is widely distributed in the Northern Crimea, the Northern Caucasus, and also in the west of 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 massifs, exclusively oak or in combination with other deciduous trees, such as chestnut, sycamore, 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 photophilous, frost-resistant, drought-resistant. Most species of oak are not demanding on the composition of the soil - they are able to grow on acidic, dry, saline soils. Waterlogging is not desirable, although the oak is able to endure flooding for quite a long time. For the most part, oaks are photophilous, although some species tolerate lateral and full shading.

reproduction

Oak reproduces by acorns. Sowing with acorns is best done autumn due to the fact that they are poorly stored in artificial conditions. Young trees are best planted in the spring. Coppice shoots also show good results, provided that the tree is at least twenty years old. Ornamental varieties are propagated by grafting; species of oak that are resistant to adverse conditions, for example, fluffy oak, are used as a stock.

Landing and care

Landing is preferable in open, well-lit areas. After subsidence of the soil, the root neck of the tree should not be located below ground level. For planting, sand, peat and sod land are needed, as well as a drainage layer of gravel of at least twenty centimeters. After planting and in the next four days - watering is necessary. Despite the drought resistance of the tree, regular watering is required in late spring and summer, in the absence of rain. Young seedlings are much more sensitive to dry periods than mature plants. Before the onset of winter, it is necessary to mulch the trunk circle. For this purpose, peat compost and wood chips are suitable. The layer can be from ten to fifteen centimeters. After the cold weather subsides, the tree will need top dressing with urea, ammonium nitrate and mullein. As necessary, dead branches are carried out and the trunk is cleaned of top shoots.

Diseases and pests

Oaks are susceptible to various infectious wood diseases 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. Powdery mildew is one of the most dangerous oak diseases. The disease, noticed at an early stage, is easily stopped by spraying with a one percent solution of copper sulphate. Oak leaves are very attractive to gall midges, a small insect that lays its eggs inside the leaf. Grown up larvae form galls, dense spherical growths of yellow color. This can significantly spoil not only the condition, but also the appearance of the tree. Also, leaf-eating insects and stem pests, such as large oak barbel, green oak leafworm, fruit cap moth, are dangerous for oak. Damage caused by such organisms can stop the growth and lead to the death of the plant.

Popular Shapes

Forms of holm oak:

f. aureo-variegata - yellow-mottled form. Differs in color of foliage;
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.

Forms of sessile oak:

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 is a variegated form with white-variegated leaves.

Red oak shapes

F. aurea is a 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 common oak is a powerful large tree, revered by people since ancient times. Healers used its leaves, bark and fruits for healing, shamans and clairvoyants felt the strong energy of the tree and were charged with it. Modern society also uses parts of the tree in medicine, ornamental horticulture, and as building materials.

Varieties

The biological reference book gives several varieties of these giants of the plant world. Among them are ordinary oak, pedunculate, rocky. All representatives of the genus belong to the Beech family. Have you ever seen a deciduous tree that keeps its leaves all year round? So, among late oaks this is a common phenomenon. Early forms bloom in early April and shed their leaves for the winter. And the late ones wake up closer to May, so young trees can turn green all year round. In nature, separately growing trees are more common, less often oak forests.

Where does the common oak grow?

This species of deciduous trees is quite common in Russia and Europe. In the form of small oak forests, it is found in Asia and northern Africa. It was artificially introduced to North American territory. Unfortunately, oaks no longer grow in Siberian forests. In European broad-leaved forests, oaks coexist with maples and elms, lindens and hornbeams. In mixed forests grow next to firs, pines and spruces. Trees are undemanding to natural conditions, tolerate dense shade. Therefore, young representatives can develop on a slope or in a dense forest. The older the oak gets, the higher it is, the more light it needs.

Oak ordinary. Description

In the botanical gardens there are very ancient specimens, sometimes several thousand years old. For example, the Zaporozhian oak in Ukraine is 700 years old, and the Stelmuzh oak in Lithuania is about 1700 or 2000 years old. Although the average age is about 400 years. Giants develop for a long time:

maturity is reached at 40 years and later, and only then they begin to bear fruit;
grow up to 100, some up to 200 years;
oaks gain width all their lives, the oldest trees reach 13 m in circumference.

Oak leaves have a remarkable wavy appearance, growing on small petioles. They grow from 4 to 12 cm in length, and reach up to 7 cm in width. They are leathery, dense, glossy to the touch. In summer, their color is rich green with small yellowish streaks. Common oak blooms in early May, when young foliage is already green. At this time, the crown is decorated with earrings up to 3 cm long, on which up to 10 flowers. They are of different sexes, usually females are higher than males. After pollination, 1 small acorn is born from each ovary. On young shoots, acorns grow in pairs, sometimes in threes or fours.

Spreading branches are strong and thick, and young shoots are soft and fluffy. Young trees have an irregular appearance due to cranked trunks. Only with age the trunk becomes smoother and thicker. The usual diameter of an adult tree is up to 2 meters. Young and old trees differ in color and type of bark. Up to 25-30 years old, it is smooth and gray. Then it darkens, turns black and becomes covered with deep cracks. What does a common oak tree look like? A photo, description or a simple walk in the oak forest will create the right impression. You can recognize a separately growing oak by its crown, which has the shape of a tent.

How is oak raw material harvested?

Often people unknowingly collect old rough bark from oaks. It is suitable only for decorative purposes: it will make wonderful boards, coasters, etc. If you are interested in the bark of an ordinary oak for medicinal purposes, then you need to remove it from young trees. Oak trees under the age of 10 years are just right for harvesting bark. On an industrial scale, bush forms of trees are grown to collect raw materials. They just periodically cut off the tops from which the bark is removed. Or they cut down the young at the root. After some time, new shoots begin to grow in this place, and the oak bushes.

In early spring, when the trees wake up and the sap begins to move along them, you can start collecting raw materials. The resulting material is laid out for quick drying. The young bark is valued above the old one due to the high content of tannins in the composition. Acorns are also used in folk medicine. In addition to tannins, they contain oils and starch. The leaves are also used due to the coloring pigments in the composition.

How is it used in medicine in different countries?

In folk medicine from different countries, bark, young twigs, leaves and acorns are used. Recipes and uses vary slightly.

For example, in Russia, a decoction of the bark is considered a good remedy for bleeding gums, diarrhea with bloody discharge. It is recommended to drink for the treatment of scurvy, liver failure. In everyday life, the collected leaves are placed in jars with pickles, and coffee is ground from fried acorns.
Polish healers use the astringent properties of a decoction of the bark. The tool is used to heal cuts, reduce the inflammatory process of the bladder. It is also recommended for women during menstruation to reduce discharge and relieve pain.
It is known that Bulgarian healers prepare medicines for dysentery, tonsillitis, and stomach diseases from oak bark. Prepared ointments are used to treat skin diseases.

Carefully! Side effects

General recommendations are the moderate use of prescription drugs.
Doctors categorically forbid giving decoctions and powders to children.
Too frequent rinsing of the mouth with infusion of the bark can lead to poisoning, vomiting. Loss of smell can threaten those who use drugs for too long.
It is not recommended to try natural medicines for those suffering from constipation and hemorrhoids.

Common folk recipes

Infusions are made from acorns. For the treatment of tuberculosis, peeled fruits are fried in the oven, then crushed. Powder from three teaspoons is poured with boiling water in a volume of one and a half glasses and insisted. It is advised to consume 1 tablespoon before dinner. An infusion of 1 teaspoon in the same amount of water will help with enterocolitis. It should be drunk in a glass before meals.
Acorn powder will help with diabetes. Only harvested mature fruits are dried and crushed. They are recommended to be consumed within a month, 1 teaspoon 3 times a day. The powder can be washed down with water or tea. After the course, you need to take a break.
A decoction of the bark helps with female diseases - erosive processes of the uterus, fungal diseases. It is necessary to pour 20 grams of raw materials with two glasses of water and boil on low heat for half an hour. Use decoction for douching. In case of mushroom poisoning, such a decoction will help remove toxins. Drink it 50 ml 3 times a day.

Common oak is used for the construction of ships and houses, its raw materials are used in medicine and cosmetology, huge crowns daily saturate the air with oxygen. Its benefits are invaluable. The main thing for humanity is to rationally manage such a resource and protect the oak property.

Oak - Description

Oak is well recognizable due to its fruits, acorns, which are, in fact, nuts.

Oak leaves have a characteristic pinnately lobed shape. However, it is so different in different species that it changes the appearance of the plant beyond recognition.

The leaves of the long-leaved oak (Quercus oblongifolia) are completely different from what we are used to seeing. They are covered with a bluish coating that protects them from the scorching sun.

The leaves of the mountain oak (Quercus montana) are similar in shape to chestnut.

Scarlet oak (Quercus coccineum) leaves turn purple in autumn. They have characteristic deep cuts and sharp ends.

Many species of the genus Oak belong to the so-called evergreen, that is, they are equipped with leathery leaves and remain on the plant for several years.

In other species, the leaves fall off annually or, drying out, remain on the tree and are gradually destroyed.

Oak flowers are small and green, invisible among the foliage. They are same-sex: male and female on the same plant. Male flowers consist only of stamens, female - of the pistil. Male flowers are collected in inflorescences, similar to earrings. Women's are on short stems, they look like green grains with a red top. It is from the female flowers of oak that acorns grow.

Oak blossoms in late spring. The crown cover during pollination is poorly developed. Strong flowers are only for women, men's earrings can fall off with a strong blow of wind.

When male oak flowers open, their pollen is viable for about 5 days. In favorable weather (sunny and windy), pollination occurs safely, in rainy weather it stops, and when frost occurs, the inflorescences can generally crumble. Oak yields good fruit crops once every 7-8 years.

Oak fruits are acorns. They have a dry, strong shell, a relatively hard core and belong to the category of nut-like fruits. An overgrown receptacle at the base of each acorn forms a kind of cup - a plush. The shape and size of the plush in different species vary greatly.

The acorns of the evergreen golden-cupped oak, native to the western United States, have a very original hairy cupule. The fruits of this tree were roasted by the American Indians and used in ground form to make coffee.

From the acorns of the pedunculate oak, which grows in Europe, you can make low-quality flour.

But the fruits of the California oak contain up to 75% of starchy substances, so the Indians have long been used to make acorn flour. For this, this species was even nicknamed the "breadfruit" of America (it was only nicknamed, and the real breadfruit grows in the tropics).

The fruits of the holm oak, which grows in the Mediterranean, are sweet and edible.

Oak fruits are nutritious and are a valuable food for many animal species. For example, deer and wild boars gain fat in autumn almost exclusively by feeding on acorns. Bears, jays, squirrels, chipmunks love acorns. And the acorn woodpecker got its name because it makes stocks for the winter exclusively from acorns.

An interesting cork oak growing on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, in southern France, Spain, Algeria.

It is distinguished by an unusually thick layer of cork that forms in its bark.

This layer, several centimeters thick, is used to make bottle caps. This cork combines porosity and water resistance, relative strength and lightness. Periodically, every few years it is removed, but the trees eventually build up a new layer. Real cork is highly valued as a natural material.

The evergreen holm oak, which grows in Italy and in the Mediterranean region in general, produces sweet acorns for food. Sweet acorns from many oaks in the east and in the warm countries of America, especially in California, were widely used as food by the American Indians.

In Russia, only one species is significantly distributed - English oak. This oak has two varieties: the difference between them is that one blooms in the middle or at the end of spring - this is a summer oak, and the other - two to three weeks later - is a winter oak.

Pedunculate oak, otherwise called common oak, or English oak, is a type species of the genus Oak. This large tree, reaching a height of 30-40 m, forms broad-leaved forests (oak forests) in the south of the forest and in the forest-steppe zones.

In western Russia and on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, there is a very common species in the rest of Europe - Rock Oak.

In the Amur region and in the Far East, another species grows - the Mongolian Oak.

Most oaks are healthy, dense trees.

Scalloped oak is native to Japan.

Oak Tree – Life Span

In terms of life expectancy, oak is one of the first places in the plant world.

The life expectancy of the English oak is 400 - 500 years, but trees are known that are up to 1000 and even 1500 years old. In other species, it is about the same.

famous oaks

Among the oaks there are many famous trees.

Kaiser Oak- the famous oak in the Berlin district of Friedenau, a protected natural monument, planted in honor of Emperor (Kaiser) Wilhelm I on March 22, 1879 on the occasion of the golden wedding with his wife Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and the 82nd anniversary of the Kaiser. The tradition of planting oak trees in honor of the Kaiser was widespread in Germany.

Zaporozhye oak- a botanical monument of nature of the primeval oak forests of the Dnieper region, a tourist attraction dating back at least 700 years. Since 1972 it has been a reserved object. Since 2010 - the National Tree of Ukraine. It is located in the village of Verkhnyaya Khortitsa, in the north of the Leninsky district of the city of Zaporozhye. In the 1990s, the oak almost withered, leaving one living branch.

Stelmuzh oak- one of the oldest oaks in Europe. Encyclopedic sources give different estimates of its age: almost 2000 years, about 1000 years, about 1500 years (information from Wikipedia). The tree has survived several historical eras, it may have seen the crusaders and swordsmen. Oak is located in the Zarasai region of Lithuania, on the territory of the village of Stelmuzhe.

Oak branches are a widespread heraldic element that adorned the coats of arms of cities and noble families in Europe. Such popularity is associated with the unique properties of this tree: durability, as well as the hardness and strength of wood. With these properties of oak, people associated the continuity of traditions and the inviolability of contracts, therefore, according to legend, it was under the oak that historical truces were concluded, courts or magical rituals were held.

Oaks have an interesting property. With constant contact with each other, neighboring branches can grow together and then the crown of the old tree takes on a bizarre appearance.

Natural reproduction of oak occurs by acorns. The shape of the acorn depends on the type of oak. In some species, the acorns are elongated, in the second - round and small, in the third - nut-shaped.

Oak grows extremely slowly, but can live for hundreds of years. It can reach an average height of 40-45 meters, and the diameter of the trunk often reaches 1-1.5 m. Growth occurs up to 80-200 years, but the increase in thickness continues throughout life.

The shape of the trunk is very different not only in different species, but even in trees of the same species growing in different conditions. Oaks growing in dense forests have straight, even and very tall trunks. Those oaks that grow in the plains never reach such a height. Their trunks are distributed in breadth. They are low, often clumsy, often reaching several meters in girth.

Oaks, more than any other trees, attract lightning strikes. This is due to the fact that oak wood has the property of attracting electromagnetic charges. Therefore, oaks were the favorite trees of the Druids, who considered lightning to be a sign of inspiration. The ritual of attracting a blow to the oak was called "the seduction of lightning."

It has long been a sign - do not hide under an oak tree during a thunderstorm.

In one Bulgarian village, lightning struck an ancient oak, from which it burned to the ground. Local residents found a metal vessel full of golden Turkish coins in the ashes of oak. These coins were over three hundred years old. But the treasure was hidden in the hollow of a mighty tree even then. And if lightning had bypassed him, then the oak would still keep its secret.

According to legend, the Orthodox monk Tikhon lived before the founding of the monastery in the hollow of a mighty oak. The monastery founded by him bears the name of Tikhonov Pustyn.

Oak is a symbol of the 80th anniversary of living together. Rare spouses live to see an oak wedding.

Under the oaks, forming a symbiotic relationship with their root system, grow the most expensive mushrooms - truffles. Truffles are mushrooms whose fruiting bodies form and ripen underground. The mycelium, or mycelium, of these mushrooms is closely connected with the root system of the oak. Truffles literally cannot live without nourishing oak. The reduction in the area of natural oak forests leads to a decrease in the number of truffles. In France, to save this national product, truffles are grown on special oak plantations.

From the sides of the ship, made of Virginian oak, even cannonballs fired from cannons could bounce off.

Since oak boards made excellent ships, and in many countries with a strong fleet, for example, in Great Britain, there were few oak and pine forests, and therefore Great Britain more than once carried out land conquests with the sole purpose of providing a supply of wood for the construction of ships. Such conquests were called "oak wars".

In ancient times, ground acorns were used as a coffee substitute, and alcoholic tinctures and drinks were prepared from oak shoots.

During World War II in Japan, schoolchildren collected more than 1 million tons of acorns. This saved the population from starvation in the face of reduced production and supply of rice.

Oak acorns are used to feed livestock.

Oak bark contains a lot of tannic acid, and therefore is used for tanning leather.

Oak bark is used as a medicine.

A decoction of oak bark is used by masters of wood plasticity to obtain the effect of ebony.

Oak wood is an excellent building and ornamental material: it is used for land and underwater buildings, the construction of underwater and main parts of wooden ships. Bog oak is especially valued, having lain in water for a long time (up to hundreds of years) and having dark, almost black wood.

Oak wood has a higher calorific value than other wood species of central Russia, but complete combustion of oak firewood requires a large draft of air, oak coal does not hold heat well.

The largest acorn monument is installed in the North American city of Raleigh (North Carolina). Its height is 3 m, weight - over 0.5 tons.

There is a legend that the Russian Tsar Peter the Great dropped an acorn while walking on the coast of the Gulf of Finland northwest of St. Petersburg. A monument is dedicated to this event, which can be seen in the Kurortny district near the village. Solar. The acorn is forged from metal and installed in a green area next to the road to the beach.

Some peoples believed that hollow trees felled by a storm can restore youth and bring health to a person. Such a tree in G. Longfellow's poem "The Song of Hiawatha" is an oak:

On their way, in the wilds of the forest

The oak lay, perished in the storm,

Giant oak covered with moss

half rotten under the leaves,

Blackened and hollow.

Seeing him, Osezo

Suddenly let out a sad cry

And he jumped into the hollow, as into a hole.

Old, dirty, ugly,

He fell into it, and came out -

Strong, slender and tall, stately young man, handsome!

In Russia, there was a belief that Nikola Duplinsky lives in the hollow of a huge oak tree. And if you earnestly pray to him, then he will fulfill any desire.

In Russia, there have always been many magical practices that made it possible, with the help of oak energy, to seek help from the dead and gain additional strength and good luck.

In the cosmic worldview of the Slavs, the World Tree was transformed into a folklore image of an oak growing on Buyan Island, in the middle of the Ocean-Sea. “On the Sea-Ocean, on Buyan Island, there is a green oak tree,” this is how many Russian folk tales begin.

Remember the expression about the dead, which is so common among us: "I gave oak." It appeared from an old legend, which tells that the souls of the dead go up along the trunk of an oak tree, like a heavenly ladder, to the bright kingdom of the immortals.

Folk signs: “Oak forest makes noise in winter - to bad weather”; "Not this wheat before the oak leaf"; “It’s cold because the oak leaf is unfolding”; "A lot of acorns on oak - for a severe winter."

A Russian folk proverb says: “Whatever an oak, then a sheepskin coat, whatever a pine, that’s a hut.”

But what proverbs exist in England: "Big oaks grow from small acorns." "The storm brings down the oaks, but the reed cannot break."

A Soviet proverb plays ironically on the oak fortress: "The more oaks in the army, the stronger our defense."

Grow an oak from an acorn at home

Oak can be grown from an acorn and at home. To do this, stock up on planting material. If you have a suitable oak in mind, then he should come in the fall, when the acorns are ripe. Acorns ripen already at the beginning of autumn, they lie under oaks in fallen leaves. If the acorns have overwintered well, they can be harvested in early spring.

You need to take acorns, which are easily separated from the hat. The hat is not part of the acorn, but only its protection. During the detachment of the cap, the acorn is not damaged.

We immediately discard all damaged and spoiled, covered with mold. Even if you want to have only one oak, it is better to collect more acorns. A certain percentage of the fruits will be spoiled, some of the acorns simply will not sprout, death is possible at the planting stage.

When the acorns are selected, it is worth conducting an additional check for them. To do this, pour the acorns into a container of water and wait. Acorns unsuitable for cultivation will float, which means that they are empty inside. Those fruits that remain at the bottom must be dried naturally, that is, without the use of a battery, stove and other methods of heating. Drying acorns in open sunlight is also not recommended.

In nature, in winter, acorns lie on the ground under snow, or without it, depending on the weather conditions of winter. That is, they are stored in a humid environment at negative or zero temperatures. So at home, for successful germination, we must create similar conditions for them. It is best to store them in a slightly damp environment in shavings, sawdust or vermiculite in the cellar, basement or on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. This process is called stratification. Closer to March-April, it is worth increasing the humidity of the environment where the acorns are located. Just don't overdo it. An acorn needs both water and air to germinate. If the acorn is completely flooded with water in its environment, then air does not enter it, and it may lose its germination capacity and rot. Therefore, you need to maintain a simply wet state of shavings, sawdust or vermiculite.

In the cold, the acorn should stay at least a month. After a while, germination will begin. It is important not to miss this process, and when the roots appear, plant the seedlings in suitable containers. This must be done very carefully, since oak roots are very vulnerable and break easily.

For a while, the acorns will sit unchanged in the soil. This is a natural process, because at this time all the energy is directed to the formation of the root system.

As soon as the plants germinate and put out 2-3 leaves, you need to see if the container is small for them, and if it is small, transplant into something larger.

And when to plant in open ground?

Plants older than 2 weeks are planted in the ground, and if they have reached a height of more than 15 cm and have 2-3 leaves. Someone grows a whole year at home in a pot and planted only the next year.

During germination and in the initial stages of life, acorns are in great need of moisture. It is better to plant young plants in nutrient soil, because they still need to grow intensively and grow stronger. In the future, the soil does not have such a value.

It is important to choose the right landing site. It should be open, because oak does not grow well in the shade. For rapid growth, oaks need lateral shading and full top light. And you need to take into account that in this place the oak will grow for centuries, becoming higher and higher and covering an increasing area with its shadow.

Do not plant oaks close to each other. According to observations, oaks planted close grow worse. It is believed that these trees release special substances into the soil that prevent competitors from developing.

As a rule, pedunculate oak grows in central Russia. Up to eight to ten years old, pedunculate oak seedlings grow slowly, later the average growth in height is 30-35 cm per year, and sometimes even 1-1.5 m per year. Growth in height continues up to 120-200 years.

Flowering and fruiting, according to Wikipedia, begins in trees aged 40 to 60 years. Pedunculate oak acorns have good germination and are spread by birds.

Oak does not like transplants, even a small one, it has a long vertical root that goes deep into the ground, it is very likely that it will be damaged during transplantation and the tree may not be accepted.

oak leaves

Oak leaves contain tannins, quercetin and pentosans. For medicinal purposes, leaves collected before May 15 are used. Young twigs with leaves are hung in small bundles and dried under a canopy. Such leaves can be stored for about 1 year.

When applied externally, oak leaves contribute to the rapid scarring of wounds, ulcers, cuts. Fresh or dried leaves are ground in a mortar and applied to wounds and scratches to disinfect them.

Oak leaves can be used to make a strengthening tea. To do this, a teaspoon of crushed leaves (or 3-4 whole leaves) is poured into 400-500 gr. boiling water, insist for a couple of hours and distribute the tea for 3-8 doses per day.

Infusions of oak leaves are used for nighttime urinary incontinence. They can rinse your mouth to stop the inflammatory processes in the oral cavity. With the help of an infusion of oak leaves, lotions are made for bedridden patients who have bedsores. With frostbite of the limbs, you can make baths from such an infusion.

The juice obtained from fresh leaves collected immediately after flowering has a bactericidal effect. It is used in diabetes mellitus as a hemostatic, astringent, anti-inflammatory agent. 1/2-1 teaspoon of a mixture of juice and honey, taken in a 1:1 ratio, diluted in warm water and taken 3 times a day.

Experienced housewives use oak leaves for pickles.

At the end of summer, spherical growths appear on oak leaves - “nuts” (galls). A decoction is prepared from them for lotions on burned or frostbitten places.

oak brooms

Huge health benefits bring oak brooms. Since ancient times, Russian people used brooms from the branches of this amazing tree in baths, expelling ailments and ailments. Oak broom invigorates, heals, gives lightness to the body.

Oak leaves and branches contain useful essential oils and tannins. Thanks to their effect, wounds and abrasions on the skin heal, it becomes velvety and acquires a delicate dullness.

Substances released by oak leaves calm the nervous system, prevent an increase in blood pressure in the steam room and have a bactericidal effect.

And the cores in the steam room with an oak broom become much easier.

Wide leaf blades contribute to the rapid injection of hot steam to the body. And since oak branches have increased rigidity, they can be used at the same time for a good massage.

For rinsing after a bath or bath, a decoction of the leaves is used.

How to prepare oak brooms.

The general rule is this: you need to collect oak branches before dinner, on a clear, fine day, when the dew on the grass has already dried up. If it suddenly started to rain, then it is better to postpone the event.

Oak bark

Most often in Russia, the bark of the English or common oak is used. It is thick, dark gray, blackish. Young oak trees have gray, smooth bark. At the age of 20-30, cracks begin to form on the bark. In trees grown in an open area, the bark reaches up to 10 cm thick.

For medicinal use, the bark is harvested in the spring, during a period of intense sap flow, which roughly coincides with bud break. At this time, the bark is relatively easily separated from the wood. Raw materials from young trunks and branches are most valued. According to the standard, the thickness of the bark should not exceed 6 mm. Do not collect bark thicker than 6 mm with cracks and growths of lichens. Rough thick bark contains much less tannins and is less acceptable for pharmacy needs.

If you peel off the bark from a young tree, it can dry out. Therefore, for the collection of bark, trees cut down at logging sites and during sanitary felling are mainly used. In the process of harvesting the bark on trunks and branches, semicircular cuts are made at a distance of 25-30 cm from one another, then a longitudinal cut, after which the bark is removed.

After harvesting, the bark is dried in the shade in the wind or in well-ventilated areas. It can be used after 2-4 days. For long-term storage, the drying process must be increased until the bark reaches fragility, that is, such a state when the bark breaks when bent, and does not bend.

Guaranteed shelf life of dried oak bark is 5 years. It is better to store it in bags.

Oak bark - medicinal properties

Oak bark is of great medical importance, as it contains a significant amount (up to 20%) of tannins, as well as tannin, starch, flavonoids, pectin, mucus and other natural antiseptics. Due to its tannic properties, a decoction of oak bark has a strong astringent and anti-inflammatory effect.

Oak bark - application

They rinse their mouth and throat with inflammation of the oral mucosa, loosening of the gums, inflammation of the pharynx (pharyngitis), and tonsillitis.

Such a decoction is taken orally for chronic enterocolitis, diarrhea and gastrointestinal disorders, inflammation of the urinary tract and bladder.

As an external agent, a strong decoction of oak bark is widely used to treat wounds, bedsores, and various skin diseases. When oak preparations are applied to wounds or mucous membranes, a protective film is formed that protects tissues from local irritation. This reduces pain and slows down the process of inflammation.

Compresses with a decoction treat burns, weeping eczema, infected ulcers.

Baths with decoction help with frostbite of hands and feet.

It is prescribed for lubrication with bleeding hemorrhoids.

Lotions with a decoction of oak bark are applied to inflamed eyes.

Decoction of oak bark

Universal Recipe:

Pour 1-2 teaspoons of crushed bark with 1 glass of cold water, bring to a boil, boil for 3-5 minutes. and strain. They need to rinse every three hours, and change wet compresses 2-3 times a day.

For the treatment of the eyes, the decoction is diluted twice, and only with boiled water. Use warm decoction. With compresses, it is important that the bandage is air-permeable and does not press.

Oak bark for hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids refers to occupational diseases in drivers and office workers, whose working time is mostly spent in a sitting position. According to statistics, most often develops in people over the age of 35 years.

The cause of the disease is inflammation and varicose veins in the rectum, as a result of which blood stagnation occurs and clots (blood clots) form in the veins. They are also called hemorrhoids or hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids are considered not only a delicate disease, but also rather unpleasant and dangerous due to possible complications (anemia).

In folk medicine, oak bark has long been used in the treatment of hemorrhoids due to its astringent and hemostatic effect. Treatment of hemorrhoids with oak bark involves the use of decoctions, lotions, baths.

Recipe for decoction of oak bark for hemorrhoids

For baths with hemorrhoids, anal fissures and frostbite, a stronger decoction is prepared than the universal one:

To prepare a decoction of oak bark, place 2 tablespoons of raw materials in an enameled bowl, pour 200 ml (1 cup) of hot boiled water over them, cover with a lid and heat in boiling water (in a water bath) for 30 minutes, then cool for 10 minutes at room temperature, filter. The volume of the resulting broth is added with boiled water to 200 ml. The prepared broth is stored in a cool place for no more than 2 days.

This decoction is used for lotions for external hemorrhoids as follows - moisten a clean bandage with decoction and apply overnight to the inflamed hemorrhoid. For sitz baths, you will need 1 - 1.5 liters of oak broth, for its preparation it is necessary to increase the volume of water and proportionally - the volume of raw materials. The broth should be poured into a basin and used for sitz baths in a warm form for about 20-30 minutes, and if desired, until it cools down.

Such methods are effective in the external form of hemorrhoids.

A decoction based on oak bark for oral administration with hemorrhoids:

Oak bark - 3 parts; pharmaceutical chamomile flowers - 4 parts; flax seeds - 5 parts.

1 st. pour a spoonful of the mixture with 1 cup of hot boiling water. Insist for 10 - 12 hours. Cool, strain and take half a glass before meals.

Oak bark for diarrhea

Treating diarrhea with oak bark is one of the most popular and effective ways. Due to its antiseptic and astringent action, oak bark is used very successfully for diarrhea. Treatment of diarrhea with oak bark, as well as other folk methods, is safer for human health compared to traditionally used drugs in terms of contraindications and adverse reactions.

At the same time, depending on the cause that caused the intestinal disorder, oak bark can be used as an adjuvant or even in some cases be an alternative to drug therapy.

With diarrhea, the therapeutic effect of oak bark is provided mainly due to the high content of tannins. They are chemically structured high molecular weight phenolic compounds. Oak bark has an antibacterial and antihelminthic effect, therefore, as an additional remedy, it can be used in the treatment of diarrhea caused by intestinal infections and helminthic infestations.

Oak bark is used in the form of decoctions, water and alcohol tinctures, which are taken orally. With diarrhea, an infusion of oak bark can also be used for enemas. This method is especially often used to treat diarrhea in children.

A decoction of oak bark for diarrhea:

Pour a tablespoon of oak bark with 1 glass of water. Put on low heat, cook for about 35 minutes. Cool the broth, strain and consume two tablespoons three times a day.

A decoction based on oak bark for an enema in a child:

take a tablespoon of oak bark and chamomile flowers. Pour the mixture into a thermos and pour 350 ml of boiling water. We insist at least thirty minutes. Before use, the broth must be cooled, filtered and add ten drops of valerian.

It is necessary to remember:

The use of oak bark in any form for the treatment of children under 2 years of age is strictly contraindicated! Up to 12 years of age, use the bark very carefully and after consulting a doctor.

Infusion of oak bark for diarrhea

With diarrhea, inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, dysentery, it is recommended:

pour 1 teaspoon of crushed bark with 2 cups of cold boiled water, leave for 8 hours, strain. Drink several sips throughout the day (do not prescribe to children!).

Do not use oak bark for a long time in the treatment of diarrhea, as this can lead to the destruction of the normal intestinal microflora, and the consequences can lead to serious diseases.

Oak bark for gums

When the gums become inflamed, they become red and sore. Due to various bacteria, pustules appear. Inflammation of the gums can lead to tooth loss, this disease is called periodontal disease. A decoction of oak bark will help strengthen the gums.

Decoction for gums

Pour 2 teaspoons of crushed oak bark with two glasses of water, bring to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes. Cool the broth, strain and rinse your mouth 3 to 5 times a day. Treatment must be carried out within 3 days, even if after the first rinse the condition of the gums has improved markedly. With an advanced stage of inflammation, such procedures should be carried out up to one week. The treatment will be more effective and more beneficial if a new decoction is prepared every day.

oak bark for hair

Regular use of oak bark will help to solve many problems related to hair. It not only improves the health of the hair, but also transforms it, making it strong and shiny.

Oak bark:

Fights hair weakness, reduces their fragility. Regular use makes hair stronger and prevents split ends.

Reduces greasiness of hair, itching of the head and removes dandruff.

Accelerates hair growth.

Fights hair loss.

Has a slight coloring effect.

Rinse your hair with oak bark

Rinsing your hair with an infusion of oak bark will help solve many of the above problems and improve the condition of your hair.

Infusion of oak bark for hair

An infusion of oak bark helps accelerate hair growth, get rid of cross-section, brittleness and excessive fat content.

We heat two hundred grams of oak bark and half a liter of hot water in a water bath for about thirty minutes. Then another two hours should be kept in a warm place. We filter the tool. For three days, rub it into the scalp or rinse the hair after washing.

If it is not possible to arrange a water bath, you can simply wrap the bark filled with boiling water and let it stand.

Alternatively, you can make a decoction, and do not bother with an absolutely exact amount, you can use any of the above decoctions, you can experiment and choose the right consistency for your hair. In addition, a thick decoction for hair can always be diluted with boiled water. Using spring water is ideal if available. But ordinary water also gives good results.

In decoctions, infusions for hair, you can enter other ingredients. The use of oak bark and onion peel in equal proportions has proven itself well. You can add dandelion leaves, nettle, plantain, parsley, burdock root, birch buds, calendula, hop cones, sage to the broth. In a word, all those plant components that help improve the appearance and health of hair. The most suitable composition, consisting better of no more than three ingredients, should be chosen experimentally specifically for your hair.

Masks with oak bark for hair

An infusion or decoction of oak bark can be the basis of an excellent hair mask. Other plants listed above can also be added there. In this case, it is not necessary to filter. Finely grind all the ingredients to a mushy state.

Either olive oil, or honey, or an egg are added to the mask. Sometimes an infusion is made for the mask, in which hot milk is poured instead of water.

Apply the mask to damp hair before shampooing and spread over the entire length of the hair. Wrap your head and keep the mask for about two hours. Then rinse with water and shampoo. You can try to apply the mask on clean hair. Not all hair types wash well from a mask without shampoo. You can add a spoonful of lemon juice to the water for the final rinsing of the hair.

Mask with oak bark for dandruff

We take crushed oak bark, sea salt, coffee (coarsely ground), olive oil - all in one spoon.

Mix olive oil with a dry mixture of oak bark and leave for three hours. Then add other ingredients to the gruel and immediately apply to the hair, massaging the skin.

Oak bark for hair coloring

Oak bark contains substances that give the hair a pleasant chestnut color with an original reddish tint. The color is natural, but at the same time bright and very beautiful. Hair coloring with oak bark is the most natural and safest way to transform. In addition, you will not only color your hair, but also strengthen it, make it more lush and shiny, and also reduce hair loss. Therefore, if you want to get a natural and beautiful color of curls and at the same time improve your hair and scalp, forget about chemical dyes. You need to dye your hair before washing your hair.

Prepare a fresh decoction of oak bark. It would be nice to grind it in a coffee grinder beforehand. Boil until the broth acquires a rich color. To increase the brightness, you can add onion peel. Apply the cooled decoction to your hair. Wrap them with foil and leave for an hour and a half. Then rinse off the decoction and wash your hair with shampoo and balm.

Oak bark for sweaty feet

With strong sweating of the legs, we make a decoction of oak bark (50-100 g per 1 liter of water, boil for 20-30 minutes over low heat). Chilled strained broth is used for nightly foot baths before bedtime.

Powdered oak bark can be poured into stockings or socks.

Oak bark - contraindications

Oak bark is contraindicated:

for children under 12 years old,
with individual intolerance, as well as with allergies,
with constipation,
thrombosis.

During pregnancy, oak bark should be used only after consulting a doctor.

Do not use oak bark for more than 2 weeks.

Overdose should not be allowed, because with inadequate use, tannins cause vomiting, bloating, colic and other problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

oak wood

In oak, it is extremely durable, hard and resistant to adverse effects. Thanks to these exceptional qualities, oak wood is used in shipbuilding, construction and furniture production.

Especially often oak wood is used in carpentry. Oak is primarily used for parquet, doors, stairs and other interior elements. Beautiful and durable bog oak is good for expensive exclusive headsets, musical instruments, parquet and art products. Oak veneer ennobles less beautiful woods. The reddish or pink wood of North American oaks is highly valued. Oak has long been mastered by shipbuilders and builders. Piles are made from it, which serve for tens, hundreds of years.

Oak boards are indispensable for the manufacture of barrels in which the best varieties of wines, brandy, whiskey and cognac are aged. Cognac spirits ripen only in the presence of oak wood. The extraction of aromatic substances contained in it largely forms the flavor bouquet of cognac. During the aging process, the tannins from the wood pass into the liquid and give it a refined taste.

Oak tannins are essential for the maturation and aging of red and dessert wines. That is why the production of barrels and other cooperage utensils remains a very important area of application of oak. Cork oaks provide us with a material that allows us to securely stopper a variety of bottles. The bark and wood (especially of young trees) are used to obtain tannins used in leather and medicine. In China, silkworms are fed on the leaves of the scalloped oak.

Oak has been famous and popular among different peoples since ancient times. Even in ancient Greece, the name of the patron god of art and science, Apollo, was associated with a stately and useful tree. The ancient Slavs considered the oak a symbol of Perun, spewing thunder and lightning. Some authors explain the Latin generic name Quercus by the corresponding Greek word meaning "rough". The fact is that the fruits of oak are covered with a wrinkled cup-shaped cupule on top, besides, the bark on old trees is cut with deep cracks.

Botanical description of common oak

The genus Oak belongs to the Beech family (Fagaceae). These are deciduous trees, rarely shrubs with a wide distribution area. A common species for the forest-steppe zone of the European part of Russia, Western and Eastern Europe is the English oak (Quercus robur). Other species definitions of this plant are D. ordinary, D. summer, D. English. The height of the trees is 40-50 m, the diameter is 1.5-2 m. The age of individual oak specimens in European countries reaches 700-2000 years, for example, the Zaporozhye and Stelmuzh oaks. The leaves of D. vulgaris have a pinnate-lobed shape, they are dark green in color, shiny and leathery on top, grayish-green below. Small flowers form a loose inflorescence. In its place, after pollination, a yellow-brown nut with longitudinal stripes is formed.

Oak fruit - acorn

The cup-shaped cupule is formed by the reduced parts of the inflorescence, it is shallow, has a grayish tint, rough on the outside. The fruit can be almost round, reaching 1.5 cm in diameter. Acorns are more often oblong in shape, 2.5-3.5 cm long. Oak fruits serve to spread the species, are used in afforestation and reforestation after land reclamation.

Acorns can be planted in the country, in the front garden, in the courtyard of a multi-storey building. The first few years the seedlings will grow slowly. Then the trunk begins to thicken and stretch in length, the lower branches are high from the ground. Fruiting begins late, about 15-20 years after germination, but there are also later dates for the appearance of acorns. Ripe oak fruits in the middle lane are harvested in early or mid-autumn. In the southern regions, seed harvesting is carried out from October to November.

The practical significance of trees of the genus Quercus

In total, there are about 450 species of oak in the world, many of them are used in the furniture industry, shipbuilding, have medicinal properties and nutritional value. In the past centuries, oak forests have been badly damaged in densely populated areas due to plowing of land, the use of wood in construction. On the coasts, even trunks are still used for the manufacture of boats and ships. Since ancient times, bark and wood have been a source of tanning compounds in the leather industry. Wool dye is obtained from leaves and acorns.

The use of oak fruits for educational purposes

In the classroom, kindergarten students are told about the benefits of trees, about the names of oak fruits, what can be made from them. Preschoolers and younger students are happy to collect acorns for creative activities, games, creating crafts and compositions from natural materials. When dried, the fruit does not crack, only the plush does not hold on to it. An acorn can be pierced with a needle, a match, to make figurines of people and animals, beads from it. High school students from rural schools, together with foresters, harvest oak fruits for afforestation and landscaping of their village.

Interesting facts related to oak fruits

The first full-fledged fruit crop is formed on a tree at the age of 50. A hundred-year-old oak produces an average of 2.2 thousand acorns per season. Only one fruit out of 10 thousand grows into a new tree. It is also important how the oak fruits are distributed for the reproduction of the species. If acorns are specially planted in prepared soil and the plantation is taken care of, then germination increases.

Oak in the mythology of different peoples is associated with power, longevity, exceptional courage in battle.

During World War II in Japan, schoolchildren collected more than 1 million tons of acorns. This saved the population from starvation in the face of reduced production and supply of rice.

The largest acorn monument is installed in the North American city of Raleigh. Its height is 3 m, weight - over 0.5 tons.

According to legend, the Russian Tsar Peter the Great dropped an acorn while walking on the coast of the Gulf of Finland northwest of St. Petersburg. A monument is dedicated to this event, which can be seen in the Kurortny district near the village. Solar. The acorn is forged from metal and installed in a green area near the road to the beach.

Oak wood has always been associated with the concept of strength, power, health. The oak tree itself is a majestic picture. Its wood is dense, hard, heavy and has high strength. It is also characterized by resistance to moisture, decay and various fungi.

The wood is porous with a beautiful texture. The color is brown or yellowish brown. The sapwood part of oak wood has a light yellow color. From time to time, the color of its wood darkens, which, however, gives it a more noble appearance.

Oak is a perennial tree, more than a century old is not the limit for it. The height of the oak reaches 30 meters, and the diameter is from 1.2 to 1.8 m. Oaks growing in forests are characterized by the presence of a straight trunk without knots up to 15 meters high.

Wood density: about 700 kg/m3. Hardness: 3.7 - 3.9 Brinell.

Influence of growing conditions on wood properties

If we compare the properties of wood from trees grown in different natural conditions, we can notice significant differences. The worse the soil on which the oak grows, the better its wood. That is why oak wood from the northern regions is more valued.

So, oak, which grows in oak forests on sandy soils, has a thick dark-colored bark, and its wood is painted in a light straw color. The hardness of the wood of such oaks is high, but it lacks elasticity.

If an oak grows near water, for example, on the banks of a river or stream, or among alder bogs, then it is called lead, water, iron or ols oak. It differs from its counterparts in a straight trunk and a dense crown. The bark is leathery, spotty. Its color is light gray with a bluish tint. The wood has a pink tint, the layers are large. Elasticity is very good, but when dried, it has a tendency to crack. Unusually heavy.

Intermediate varieties of trees that grow in places located between oak forests and alder bogs have average values of elasticity in their qualities, and are lower in hardness than those of upland and ols. The bark of such oaks is thick, its color is brownish-gray. Often in the butt part of these trees there are hollows, and the top part of the trunks is dry.

Where is oak wood used?

Summer oak wood is widely used in construction, and its moisture resistance properties make it possible to use it in underwater structures or in the hulls of wooden floating craft. It is also good for making souvenir crafts.

Winter wood is used in carpentry, furniture and parquet production. Oak wood is not the best option, as the coal cools quickly. And to maintain combustion, you need good traction. Yes, and it is a pity to use such valuable wood as fuel, unless waste from other industries can be used for firewood.

Features of working with oak wood

Drying of oak wood should be carried out in natural conditions. It is not recommended to try to speed up this process as this may lead to cracking.

Stained oak wood takes on a dark purple hue

In order for the wood to acquire a decorative look, staining is used - for oak, this is done by keeping it in water for several years. After such an exposure, the color of the wood becomes dark purple and silky. Hardness from long soaking only increases, although it becomes more brittle.

When working with oak wood, it should be remembered that it does not like alcohol varnishes, and polishing is useless due to its high porosity.

Oak wood does not like oils - they form ugly spots on its surface. This wood does not need staining, because it has a beautiful natural texture and color. To finish, it is enough to cover the surface of the product with a transparent varnish, preferably one that dries quickly.

For construction purposes, it is better to use wood with a large width of annual rings. This wood is highly resistant to wear. For the manufacture of furniture, souvenir crafts, wooden sculptures and chiseled products, lighter and softer wood with narrow annual rings is better suited.