Plant 🌳
🌳
Quercus robur
| Size | Up to 40 m tall As tall as a 12-storey building |
|---|---|
| Weight | Up to 90,000 kg As heavy as 12 double-decker buses |
| Lifespan | 500–1,000+ years |
| Rarity | Common |
| M vs F | Oak trees have both male flowers (catkins) and female flowers (small, bud-like) on the same tree — it is monoecious |
| Habitat | Ancient woodland, hedgerows, parkland, heath |
| Best time | Year-round — spectacular in autumn; look for acorns September–November |
Did you know?
A single mature oak can support over 2,300 species — more than any other native UK tree. That includes 280 species of insect alone! The tree literally IS an ecosystem.
A single mature oak can support over 2,300 species — more than any other native UK tree. That includes 280 species of insect alone! The tree literally IS an ecosystem.
More for experts
Oak trees delay producing acorns until they're at least 40–50 years old. In 'mast years' (every 4–8 years) they produce a huge surplus of acorns simultaneously — thought to overwhelm the seed-eaters so some always survive to germinate.
Often confused with
Sessile Oak, Turkey Oak
Sessile Oak, Turkey Oak