Description
Oak is a large deciduous tree, with circumference of grand oaks from 13 feet to exceptional 40 feet. It has lobed and nearly sessile (very short-stalked) leaves 2.5 - 5 inches long. Flowering takes place in mid spring, and their fruit, called acorns, ripen by the following autumn.
It is a long-lived tree, with a large widespreading crown of rugged branches. While it may naturally live to an age of a few centuries, many of the oldest trees are pollarded or coppiced, both pruning techniques that extend the tree's potential lifespan, if not its health. There are numerous specimins of over a thousand years old.
Oak produces a long-lasting and durable hardwood, much in demand for interior and furniture work. The wood is characterised by its distinct (often wide) dark and light brown growth rings.
Obtainment
Uses
Main Article:
- Food: Acorns mature in 6 months and taste sweet or slightly bitter.
- Tannins: Bitter plant compound obtained from bark, acorns, or wood that is used in various processes, like tanning animal hides into leather and making inks.
- Wood: Oak wood has a high density, great strength and hardness, and is very resistant to insect and fungal attack because of its high tannin content. It also has very appealing grain markings.
Toxicity
The leaves and acorns of the oak tree are poisonous to cattle, horses, sheep, and goats in large amounts due to the toxin tannic acid.
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