Botanical description of the pedunculate oak, Quercus robur
The pedunculate oak: the typical tree of our forests
The pedunculate oak is a characteristic species of alluvial plains. It is mainly thanks to a bird, the jay, which carries its acorns over several kilometers, that the pedunculate oak gains new open spaces and confirms its reputation of a colonizer.
Portrait of the pedunculate oak
The pedunculate oak can reach 30 to 50 meters in height and can live for several hundred years. It is a heliophilous species, which seeks full light. Its growth is slow in its youngest age then becomes more sustained. The male and female flowers are distinct but are borne by the same individual. They are pollinated by insects during flowering, from April to May.
Enemies of the pedunculate oak
The biggest enemy of the pedunculate oak is powdery mildew, a fungus that develops on the foliage of oaks and gives a whitish appearance to the leaves. Powdery mildew is a disease that weakens young trees.
Another concern comes from a too brutal lighting, which favors the appearance, in the long run, of gourmands: these are small branches which leave, in the wood, marks not very appreciated.
The qualities of pedunculate oak wood
Pedunculate oak wood is of excellent quality, very durable and has many uses. The best quality ones produce veneers or are used for cabinet making, carpentry, cooperage and parquetry.
Oak is also used for many purposes in the construction industry (framework, posts...) as well as in the railway industry for the bottom of wagons or sleepers.
It is also a very good firewood.
Did you know that?
For a very long time, acorns were used to feed pigs.
Growing tips for pedunculate oak
You wish to plant an oak in your garden? Its needs and constraints are the following:
- it can withstand winter cold and late frosts, but remains fragile.
- It appreciates a sunny exposure, in a clear place.
- It grows in fresh, well-drained, rich and deep soil.
- it grows on soils well supplied with water all year long
