According to various sources, the family of oaks reaches 450 ... 600 species. Representatives grow in different parts of the world in temperate latitudes, where the climate meets the needs of the tree.
Russia is one of the countries most favorable for oak growth: territories with nutritious soil, open areas without shade, sufficient rainfall and optimal temperature conditions for the plant.
General description
Regardless of the type and type of tree, oak has common distinguishing features, which determine the belonging to the genus:
- The height of the individual is from 25 to 40 meters;
- Spreading deciduous or evergreen crown;
- Leaf in oaks of different varieties lobed or serrated with cirrus venation;
- The bark is rough, with age-related cracks;
- The trunk in young individuals is thin, in adults it is noticeably thickened and massive.
Many species bloom at the same time as leaves bloom.. Female and male flowers are on the same tree:
- Females are in the axils of leaves on the tops of young shoots (as in the photo). Perianth in 3 departments, poorly developed;
- Male flowers are collected in earrings at the base of the shoots. Perianth is divided into 5-7 departments, up to 12 stamens.
Pollination occurs in the usual ways: wind or insects.
Oak fruit - acorn, ripens in autumn, after wintering, the growth of a new tree begins. At the bottom there is always a solid flattened hat, which can always be used to determine the belonging to the oak family. The shape of the fruit is elongated or spherical, from golden to brown, depending on the type of plant and its place of growth.
Oak is propagated by cuttings, planting acorns, the resumption of growth can occur from a living stump.
Botanical classification
Regardless of the variety, the scientific classification of the genus is as follows:
English oak takes a conditional place at the end of the logical chain, in its place you can safely put the remaining types of tree.
Habitat
Oak is common in temperate climates and naturally grows in different countries:
- In Russia (Far East, Siberia, Central Asia, Vladikavkaz);
- In countries of Western and Southern Europe;
- In Canada;
- USA.
Artificially, different species were transferred to all corners of the world with a climate suitable for oak.
Beneficial features
Many types of oak trees are used in construction, medicine, furniture and cooperage:
- Wood has high strength and resistance to various influences;
- Products are durable;
- The composition of the bark and wood contains a lot of tannins, which help to stop blood flow, tone muscles and cells.
There is a classification of oak wood for the production of trimmings or production. Sorting is carried out according to many signs:
- The size of the original trunk;
- Flatness and uniformity of the material;
- Tree age;
- Chemical and mechanical indicators according to test results.
The main types of mighty oaks
The genus totals up to half a thousand (or maybe more) varieties of this tree known to everyone.
Oaks of Russia
Petiole (Quercus robur) is a representative traditional for Russia and Western European countries.
Distinctive features:
- Resistance to large temperature differences;
- Tolerance to prolonged drought;
- Resistant to wind.
Prefers good fertile soil. In the field, the plant reaches 50 meters in height. In group plantings of an individual below, the crowns are located in the upper part of the trunk, which is ensured by high photophilousness. The leaves are large - up to 15 cm in length. Cherry oak is considered a long-liver - the age of individual individuals is 1500 years with an average life expectancy of 300-500 years.
Chestnut leaf oak is a rare member of the genus listed in the Red Book. It was actively felled for use in construction purposes - its wood is characterized by high frost resistance and hardness. The trunk can stretch up to 30 meters, the crown has the shape of a tent. Leaves with pointed triangular edges look like chestnut foliage, from where the species got its name.
In Russia, the chestnut plant is found in deciduous forests and in artificial park areas. Active work is underway to resume the population of this species.
Large anther oak grows in the southern mountainous regions of the Caucasus. Artificially landed in park areas.
Distinctive features:
- Short sheet (up to 8 cm) with blunt blades;
- Photophilousness;
- Slow growth;
- Resistance to drought and frost.
The Mongolian oak has an attractive decorative appearance, for which landscape designers love it. In Russia, a tree is planted in alleys as an array or tapeworm on land.
The leaves of the representative are elongated, reaching 20 cm. In summer, their color is dark green, at the beginning of decay - bright brown. The tree grows well in small partial shade.
Hartvis Oak (Armenian) begins the genus in the Western Caucasus. The leaves are obovate, have up to 12 rounded pairs. Acorns form and develop on long stalks. In view of the characteristics of the origin, they like moderate shading, humidity, warm temperatures, and fertile soil. It does not tolerate winter well, therefore it cannot grow in colder regions.
American oak family
The following varieties of plants are of origin on the American continent:
Red is a bright powerful tree up to 30 (sometimes 50) meters high. The diameter of the barrel reaches 1 meter. A distinctive feature is the specific color of the leaves: after blooming, they have a reddish base, in the summer they are bright green, in the fall they acquire a raspberry or bright brown hue. According to other characteristics, the tree is similar to the Russian petioles.
Bright coloring madered oak a popular decoration of urban landscapes - a tree is artificially grown in different parts of the Earth.
Northern (boreal) native to North America, similar to red. Ovoid shape of the crown and leaves. The trunk differs from other representatives in smoothness - it is less prone to coarsening and cracking.
The leaf reaches 25 cm in length; in autumn it acquires a bright red color.
The tree is common in Europe, grows in forest and parkland.
The evergreen stone giant as a classic from films is a wide spreading crown with infrequent branches, a large-diameter trunk with gray bark and deep cracks.
The leaves of stone oaks are small - up to 8 cm. They are distinguished by a yellowish or white substrate, sometimes with hairiness.
The tree is unpretentious to habitat conditions: grows on any soil in any light. It lends itself to floral decoration.
The genus of stone oak includes several decorative subspecies: curly, finely and round, long, narrow-leaved, golden-motley, Ford Form.
Large-fruited oak is distinguished by the presence of enlarged acorns - up to 5 cm in length. The croup takes about half the length of the fetus. The peduncle is short.
The tree has interesting leaves: elongated with a wedge-shaped base, up to 5 pairs of blades. When blooming, they have a silver color with the effect of spraying, then they are richly green, gain luster, the lower plane slightly whitens.
The tree loves moisture, therefore it grows in rainy areas or near water bodies.
Loosestrife can be confused with willow due to the similar shape of the leaf - narrow oblong up to 12 cm in length. Crohn in the autumn becomes dull yellow.
Unlike willow, willow oak is unpretentious to the soil and place of growth: it lives in deciduous forests, looks good in artificial parkland.
Europe and the Mediterranean
Cork oak is an evergreen tree up to 20 meters high. Small oval leaves up to 6 cm long with a shiny surface and a pubescent substrate. The acorns are small, deeply recessed into a plus.
Cork representative loves moisture, but is resistant to drought, grows slowly. It is planted in alleys and squares.
It is a valuable cork-bearer native to the Mediterranean.
The rocky (sedentary) species is widely used as the main massif in forest and parkland. The leaf has a long two-centimeter petiole, and the female stem is short in female acorns and flowers.
The tree loves warmth, shadow, moderate humidity. The genus originates in Eastern Europe: in the Carpathians, in Moldova, Ukraine, is slightly widespread in Western Europe.
A fluffy oak tree more often resembles a bush up to 10 meters high (as in the photo). Its leaves, flowers, shoots and acorns have felt pubescence, the fruits are deeply drowned in a bun. It grows on calcareous and dry soils in natural conditions, it is difficult to cultivate (almost never occurs). At the same time, it undergoes a haircut and crown design, serves as an excellent background for a higher composition.