In nature, there are about 600 different species of oak , belonging to the beech family. The main natural area of oak is temperate climate areas, although it occurs in tropical highlands, and even south of the equator. Some species of oak are evergreen, others change their leaves annually, being deciduous trees.
In Europe, the most known are 20 species, the most common being the oak tree. It, in turn, has two varieties: a summer oak, which blooms in the spring, and a winter one - two or three weeks later. In ornamental gardening, such species of oak as white, marsh, stone, ivory, red, cork and others have spread.
In the spring the oak blossoms later than all the trees. So ordered nature, as the tree is afraid of spring frosts. Blooming, the oak leaves first have a brownish hue, then become reddish, and only then the color of their leaves turns into green.
Oak is one of the most durable trees, some of its specimens live over 1000 years.
Many owners who purchased a country plot with growing oak trees are often interested in how many oak bears in their lives. After all, on those trees that grow from them, acorns do not happen.
When does oak begin to bear fruit?
It turns out that the oak begins its fruiting not earlier than 30-40 years, provided that it is a single planting. As part of the same plantations, oaks begin to bear fruit and then later: in 50-60 years. Fruiting at an oak occurs very seldom: once in 6-8 years. Therefore, one can often observe that there is no acorn on a beautiful large oak tree.
The flowers of the oak are same-sex, inconspicuous and small, pollinated by the wind. Staminate flowers hang on long earrings, and pistillate flowers - are located on the pedicel, or are sedentary. The tree begins to blossom after the appearance of the leaves.
The fruit of oak is a single-seeded acorn, which is partially enclosed in a wooden bowl-shaped plush. The acorn is a kind of big seed, very sensitive
In the first 8-10 years of life, the oak grows very slowly, increasing during this period a powerful core root system. But the next 15-20 years the tree grows by 70 cm per year. Up to 80 years old oaks grow stronger in height, and after - in thickness.
Breed oak acorns, and some of its decorative forms - green cuttings and grafting. Well restored tree with shoots on the stump, but the root offspring of the oak does not happen.