Pedunculate oak - Quercus robur. Common oak (Quercus robur L.) Oak habitat

The genus oak (Quercus L.) belongs to the group higher plants, the type of angiosperms, the class of dicotyledons, the order and the family of beeches. Within the territory of former USSR numbered 19 local and 43 introduced species. The pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) is of the greatest economic, ecological and timber value, which is located on the Russian Plain, within Russian Federation, is now the only native species. Other species are found in the North Caucasus and the Far East. The range of English oak covers almost all of Western Europe, partly the south of Scandinavia and Asia Minor. It is described in detail in the works of V.N. Sukacheva (1938), A.K. Denisov (1954, 1970). A feature of the distribution of oak are the following points:

1. The range of the English oak is discontinuous (discrete), unstable and now tends to regress - it shifts to the center from the northern borders. Even under optimal conditions of its growth, there are few large forest areas with a predominance of this species. It is mainly found in the form of small tracts and forest dachas. The largest arrays in Russia are Tellermanovskaya grove on an area of ​​38345 hectares and Shipov forest - 34113 hectares.
2. The distribution of oak to the north and south is due to its association with river floodplains. On the heights of the interfluve, the boundary of its growth shifts 100-150 km closer to the center of the range.
3. In artificial plantations, oak goes beyond the boundaries of its natural range. So, G.V. Krylov reports on cultures in Siberia, where, at the age of 40-50, oak trunks reached a height of 16 m and a diameter of 24-30 cm. Valaam (Girgidov, 1955) oak trees are about 100 years old, grow according to the 11th class of quality, and are not damaged.

The forests of the Tambov region fully share the fate Russian forests, not a single bitter page passed them national history. Trade and transport routes, forests were cut down for "fire and slash" agriculture, the first and second defensive (cutoff) lines were created in them, they were covered by "shipbuilding fever", wood was exported. As a result, the forest cover of the Tambov Territory decreased from 30-40% to 7-10%. First of all, oak forests suffered because of the constant increased demand for high-quality oak wood and because of the fertile soils under oak plantations, which began to be used for agricultural production. The most fully preserved historical information relates to the era of wooden shipbuilding and the beginning of mass mining felling. The oak forests of the Tambov region along the banks of the Vorona and Khoper rivers were primarily involved in this process. In this regard, the data of G.I. Redko (1984), placed in Table 1. Simultaneously with the navy, civil shipbuilding developed. Every year, 6-8 thousand river and coasters were built, each of them consumed 200-350 cut trees and 100-150 diggers, i.e. trees uprooted.

The following facts speak of the active involvement of Tambov forests in shipbuilding. In 1847, 20 ship groves were allocated in the Tambov province: oak on an area of ​​42.4 thousand hectares, pine - on 0.1 thousand hectares. in eight provinces central Russia in the winter of 1815-1816. ship timber was harvested on an area of ​​3.1 million hectares, of which in the Tambov province - 242 thousand hectares, which is more than the area of ​​similar plantations in Vyatka (212.8 thousand hectares), Orenburg (162.3), Nizhny Novgorod (204.8), Saratov (17.1 thousand hectares) provinces (Redko, 1984). The wood of the Tambov forests was used for shipbuilding in the Black, Baltic and Caspian Seas. In fact, all the forests of the Tambov region were classified as ship forests. The events of those years are intelligibly described by N. M. Zheltov (1991). Already in 1787, 6 sawmills were operating in the forests. In 1786 alone, 142 ships were built, not counting barges, plows and other small means of water transport. Over the course of 200 years, starting from the end of the 17th century, the forest cover of the region has almost halved. By 1787, there were 1559 thousand acres of forest land, and 70 years later - 1069 thousand acres, or 30% less. Thus, in our forests for the purposes of the navy and civil fleet, for almost two centuries, intensive selective logging has been carried out annually. The most valuable, ecologically stable trees, with wood of high technical properties, were cut down, and individuals and plantations with undesirable heredity, low commodity and assortment structure, poor biometric characteristics of trunks (sick, bent and with other defects) were left in the forest. This contributed to the erosion of the gene pool forest plantations, reducing their resistance, the predominance of biotypes with low hereditary and economic properties in populations. It is a mistake to believe that with the end of the era of wooden shipbuilding, the demand for high-quality industrial oak wood has declined. On the contrary, it progressively grew, because new areas of its use appeared and consumption volumes expanded in traditional industries - in construction, furniture, winemaking and cognac production. In fact, over the course of 300 years, our oak forests were repeatedly cut through selective and clear cuts, as a result of which the forest resource potential was completely undermined, and the gene pool was severely depleted. Now the importance of oak forests has come to the fore as a climate-regulating, environmental, environmental and recreational factor, as a corner wildlife, as a keeper of the biodiversity of fauna and flora of the central strip of Russia.

FOREST FUND DYNAMICS. STATE AND PRODUCTIVITY OF OAK

An analysis of the dynamics of areas and other indicators of the forest fund in Russia is most deeply presented in the monograph by N.P. Kalinichenko (2000) for a 42-year period for the most characteristic and critical years of accounting. It can be seen that over the last quarter of a century the area of ​​oak forests has decreased by 862.1 thousand hectares, or by 24.5%; .2 times, and in 1998 - 1.73 times. The decrease in the areas of oak plantations occurs through their spontaneous replacement with softwoods or other companions of oak. Thus, the area of ​​birch plantations from 1998 to 2001 increased by 10094 ha, and aspen - by 2470 ha (state report, 2002). As a result, instead of indigenous oak trees, temporary, derivative forest types are formed, with a reduced timber, socio-economic and environmental significance. The increase in the area of ​​oak plantations until the beginning of the 70s of the last century is associated with the preservation of past traditions and the implementation of the plan for the transformation of nature (1948-1953), when the closest attention was paid to oak by foresters, biologists and statesmen of the country. Their increase since the beginning of the 70s amounted to 110 thousand hectares by 1978, by 1988, 1993 and 1998. respectively 492, 1, 667.0 and 862.1 thousand hectares to 63.7 thousand hectares, or by 108.2%. In the Tambov region, the area of ​​tall oak forests increased even more: by 1978 - 0.3 thousand hectares, in 1988 - 6.6 thousand hectares, in 1993 - 31.6 thousand hectares, which was the result of "statistical reconstruction", due to a change in the method of accounting for the forest fund of oak forests. The share of oak forests in the forest fund of the Tambov region is 1.12 times less than in the Lipetsk region, 2.5 times in Kursk region, 3.1 times in Belgorod region, and 3.16 times in Voronezh region. Given the exceptionally high socio-economic and forestry-ecological significance of oak forests, as well as their relatively small areas, they need to be given increased attention, special care and protection by the region's foresters. Oak plantations are present in all forestries of the region, occupying from 6.3% (Perkinsky forestry) to 47.2% (Uvarovsky forestry) of their forested area. The smallest area is occupied by oak forests in Zherdevsky forestry (548 ha), the largest - in Uvarovsky (9895 ha) and Kirsanovsky (8572 ha). On average, there are 3,715 hectares of oak plantations per farm in the region, in which young and middle-aged plantations predominate. On average in the region, young stands occupy 31.6%, medium-aged plantations - 57.6%, maturing - 6.2%, ripe and overmature - 4.6%. Such an uneven distribution of oak forests by age adversely affects their management and full-scale breeding aimed at selecting economically valuable forms, plus trees and plantations.

At present, the range of English oak is much smaller than at the time of its heyday. The northern border of the common oak range in Russia is currently delineated by a line that starts from the coast of the Gulf of Finland, passes through the city of Tosno (Leningrad Region), goes to the headwaters of the river. Sukhona, descends to Kostroma, then through the city of Kirov and the city of Okhansk (south of Perm) passes to the upper reaches of the river. Ufa (foothills of the Urals), from there. Sakmara reaches the river. Ural (near the city of Orsk), on the right bank of the river. Ural descends to the south, then against the river. Ilek rises along the Common Syrt and along the river. Irgiz reaches the river. Volga (against the city of Volsk), descends along the Volga to the city of Krasnoarmeysk, then goes to the Arkhangelsk region, turns sharply west to the river. Don, reaches the mouth of the river. Northern Donets and further to Novocherkassk, then through the steppe it reaches the river. The Dnieper and Ukraine goes to Moldova (Lositsky, 1981).

2.1.3 Sanitary state of oak forests in the Middle Volga region.

Degradation and mass drying of oak forests in the region of the Northern Volga region were already noted in the middle and end of the 19th century, but they were not of such a massive and widespread character.

The second, very strong, drying out of oak forests in almost the entire forest-steppe and steppe zones of the European part of Russia - from Moscow to the Urals - occurred in 1940-1942. It was caused by repeated late spring frosts of 1938-1941. and subsequent severe droughts of 1939-1940.

The third wave of shrinkage falls on 1966-1969. During this period, most of the steppe and southern forest-steppe oak forests underwent drying out in Russia. It was caused by severe recurring summer droughts and lasted for five years.

The fourth, most significant, wave of drying out of oak forests in Russia began in 1979 with interruptions and attenuations in certain areas and continues almost to our time.

The subsequent invasion of the gypsy moth on weakened trees and the intensive spread of powdery mildew on the growing leaves led to an intense focus and a single death of oak trees in plantations.

In 1991-1993 In oak forests, pockets of green oak and leafworms, winter moth, etc., appeared, which led to another massive drying out of oak forests of all ages in 1994. Intensive destruction of oak plantations began.

A comprehensive forest pathological survey of oak plantations in the Chuvash Republic in 1997 confirmed the unfavorable sanitary condition of oak forests. The unsatisfactory condition of oak forests was revealed in 61% of the surveyed areas (). Despite the relative stabilization of the state of oak forests, their stability is significantly reduced, even among young forests.

Thus, without taking effective measures to preserve and restore oak forests, there is a real possibility of a complete loss of oak forests in the region as a natural formation.

The state of oak forests in Chuvashia is unsatisfactory. Their current state was largely affected by the economic impact in the past. The felling of the best trees, which is not always ensured by their renewal, has led to the impoverishment of the oak genetic fund. The state of oak forests was constantly deteriorating due to recurring climatic stresses: severe frosts(1941/42 and 1978/79), droughts (1971, 1972, etc.), periodic invasions of leaf-eating insects (1990 .... 1992, etc.), epiphytoties of diseases, etc. All this, eventually led to significant degradation of oak forests. According to the Bryansk Forest Pathological Party of the Western State Forest Inventory Enterprise, the share of degraded oak forests in Chuvashia is 78% or 154.6 thousand hectares. Only from 1974 to 1983. they died on an area of ​​5.3 thousand hectares, and from 1984 to 1994. - on an area of ​​17.8 thousand hectares. If in 1973 the proportion of tall stands was 41% (density 0.8 ... 1.0), medium-density - 48% (0.6-0.7) and low-density - 11% (0.3 .... 0.5), then already in 1983 the share of tall stands decreased to 22%, with a simultaneous decrease in the share of medium and low density stands, respectively, to 32.4 and 45.0%.

In general, in accordance with Article 58 of the Law on the Protection of the Environment and the Criteria for Assessing the Ecological Situation of Territories to Identify Zones of Environmental Emergency and Ecological Disaster Zones, adopted by the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources on November 30, 1992, the state of oak forests in Chuvashia is assessed as an emergency ecological situation” (Report..., 1998).

Simultaneously with reforestation work, the study of the sanitary condition of oak forests of the republic was carried out. In 1932, the work of A.T. Vakina (1932), later on the same issue D.G. Guryev (1970) and others. Large-scale studies of the state of oak forests were carried out by the Voronezh Forest Pathological Expedition in 1971, 1974 and 1975; in the last two years, work was carried out under the guidance of Professor P.A. Polozhentsev. They noted that a massive deterioration in the growth of oak in Chuvashia occurred in 1969-1971. due to significant damage to them by leaf-eating insects: by 1974, 91.7% were healthy, 8% were sick, and only 0.3% were dying and dead. The state of oak forests deteriorated sharply by 1998: the proportion of weakened stands in upland oak forests was 18%, strongly weakened - 44, drying out - 29, dead - 9, degraded oak forests in the experimental forestry was 39%. The main reasons for the degradation of the Chuvash oak forests are both abiotic factors (associated with severe winters that damage not only oak trees, but also Norway maple, common ash, common hazel; late spring and early autumn frosts, often damaging the assimilation apparatus of oak), and biotic (mass distribution of leaf-eating insects and fungal diseases), etc. The sharp deterioration in the state of oak forests over the past quarter of a century was caused by a combination of the factors listed above (Petrov, 2004).

The continued drying up of oak forests indicates that the foresters of Chuvashia are not able to prevent their death. Their task is to create new, more sustainable plantations on the site of the dead plantations, taking into account many years of accumulated experience in growing oak.

Botanical name: Pedunculate Oak (Quercus robus), Common Oak, genus Oak, Beech family.

Homeland oak pedunculate: Europe, Crimea, Caucasus.

Lighting: photophilous.

The soil: moist, fertile.

Watering: moderate.

Maximum tree height: 40 m

Average lifespan of a tree: 400 years or more.

Landing: seeds.

Description of bark, leaves and other parts of English oak

Pedunculate oak (ordinary) - reaching up to 40 m in height. Grows up to 200 years, then growth stops. Growth in thickness continues throughout life.

The bark is gray-brown, fissured, about 10 cm thick. In young individuals, light gray, smooth.

The kidneys are light brown, hemispherical. Along the edges of the scales are cilia.

The crown is dense, broad-pyramidal, spreading with strong branches and a wide trunk. The root system consists of a long tap root that goes deep into the ground. Later, lateral roots appear.

The leaves are simple, alternate, oblong, lobed, on short petioles, green, with prominent veins.

Flowers are unisexual. Male - yellow-greenish hanging earrings, female - reddish, on short pedicels.

The fruits are acorns, brown-yellow, with stripes. Immersed in a cup-shaped plush. Ripen in September-October. Begins to bear fruit from 40-60 years. Abundant harvests are repeated after 4-8 years.

It blooms in late April - early May, simultaneously with the blooming of the leaves. Pedunculate oak is thermophilic. Suffers from spring frosts. Prefers well-lit places. Grows slowly.

Distribution of pedunculate oak

It grows in Western Europe and the European part of Russia, Africa and Western Asia. Is one of the most common breeds deciduous forests Europe. The range of English oak extends to the east to the Urals, in the south - to the mountainous regions of the Crimea and the Caucasus. Adjacent to spruce, pine, hornbeam, ash, birch, maple, beech. Young oaks are shade-loving. The soil is not demanding.

Pests and diseases of the tree

The main pests of English oak are pathogenic (marsupial) fungi. Spots form on the leaves of a diseased tree, gradually the leaves die off.

Pedunculate oak can be affected by powdery mildew, autumn honey agaric, sulfur-yellow tinder fungus. Some plant diseases are caused by pathogenic bacteria. bacterial dropsy, in which wood and bark quickly rot and die.

The leaves are covered with light spots and do not fall off for a long time. A disease such as transverse cancer forms growths on the branches of young individuals, which increase in size over time. Transverse cancer can cover both the branches and the trunk of a tree. In places of defeat, the branches break off.

Pedunculate oak: planting and care

Pedunculate oak is planted in early spring before the leaves bloom. For this, a well-lit place, protected from wind and excessive waterlogging, is suitable.

Seeds are sown in autumn or May after their preliminary storage in a damp, cool place. In open beds, depressions or furrows are made 5-6 cm deep. Decorative forms are propagated by grafting.

Planting and transplanting young individuals is carried out in fertilized nutrient soil. To do this, make a soil mixture of turf, peat, sand and leafy soil. If the soil is too heavy or waterlogged, add a layer of crushed stone or expanded clay. When planting a seedling, the root neck should be at ground level, but you can place it a little higher. When the soil settles, the plant will sink, the root neck will be at ground level. After planting, regular watering is necessary for 3-5 days. On dry days, the volume of water should be increased. Timely weeding and loosening of the soil to a depth of 20-30 cm is important.

Fertilize in early spring. Mullein diluted in water, urea and ammonium nitrate serve as a fertilizer.

English oak is often grown from acorn seeds. In this case, the first weeks of life, the seedlings grow up to 10-12 cm. Nutrients contained in acorns in large quantities contribute to intensive growth. Under favorable conditions, oak seedlings are grown in 1-2 years. They grow best on fertile, fresh loams and sandy loams. The powerful and widely branched root system of English oak allows the tree to grow even on dry, poor, stony soils. The plant does not tolerate waterlogging and acidic soils. Heat-loving. It is frost-resistant, but young individuals often suffer from frosts. Drought tolerant.

Collection and storage of raw materials

In medicine, leaves, acorns and bark of English oak are used. The bark is harvested during sap flow. For this, young trees intended for felling in logging sites are suitable. Dry the bark in the open air under a canopy or in a frequently ventilated room. Dry bark breaks during drying, underdone bends. If, during drying, this raw material is subjected to excessive waterlogging, a significant part of the tannins contained in it will be lost. The shelf life of the dried bark is 5 years.

Oak fruits are harvested in autumn, immediately after falling. Dry under a canopy in a well-ventilated area. Suitable for this purpose and the attic. Acorns are spread in one layer on paper, mixing them from time to time. Dry in ovens or dryers. After that, they are cleaned of leathery fertilization and seed peel. Finished raw materials are stored in bags. The storage period is not limited.

The use of bark and leaf of English oak in medicine

Pedunculate oak bark is widely used in medicine as an astringent, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic agent. A decoction of the bark is used for inflammation and gum disease, stomatitis, tonsillitis, as well as to eliminate bad breath. Compresses are applied for burns, frostbite, abscesses, wounds, dermatitis and other skin diseases. Infusion of oak bark is drunk with diarrhea, gastrointestinal bleeding, heavy menstruation.

Dried and crushed oak seeds help with diarrhea and cystitis. A surrogate coffee with medicinal properties is processed from oak seeds. This drink is effective in diseases gastrointestinal tract, rickets, anemia and scrofula.

Infusions and decoctions of oak leaves treat diabetes.

Use in other areas

Pedunculate oak is used in furniture production, construction, medicine, Food Industry, agriculture and shipbuilding. Its strong and durable wood is considered one of the the best materials for the construction of buildings, bridges and ships. Parquet, door structures, frames, plywood are made from it. In the chemical industry, oak bark is used for the production of paints, as well as a permanent dye for fabrics and carpets. In agriculture, acorns are used as feed for pigs. Acorn flour is suitable for human consumption. Oak wood is an excellent fuel for space heating.

Pedunculate oak is a rich source of nutritious pollen. Sometimes honeydew and honeydew often form on this tree, collecting which the bees produce honey unsuitable for eating.

Pedunculate oak leaves contain the pigment quarticine, which is used to color wool in green, brown and black tones.

The pedunculate oak tree has also found application in landscape design. It is used to decorate parks, alleys, squares, garden plots, and create hedges.

Pedunculate oak "Fastigiata" with a columnar crown

Deciduous tree with a narrow, columnar crown, vertical, widely branched branches. The height of the pedunculate oak Fastigiata reaches 15-20 m. The annual growth in height is about 25 cm. Male flowers are yellow catkins, 2-4 cm long. Female flowers are spikelets on long cuttings. The leaves are alternate, wedge-shaped, 10-15 cm long. Leathery, light green.

Pedunculate oak Fastigiata is not picky about the soil. Photophilous. Drought tolerant.

It grows mainly on plains, in lowlands, in meadows and mixed forests. Adapted to urban conditions, gas pollution and smoky environment.

It has a decorative value. Planted in parks and gardens. The autumn color of this tree is considered one of the most beautiful.

Oak pedunculate pyramidal

Oak pedunculate pyramidal reaches 8.5 m in height. The diameter of its trunk is 20 cm, the diameter of the crown is 3 m. The branches grow upward at an angle, forming a dense, dense crown. Start from the place of vaccination. Some trees have a loose, wide-pyramidal crown. The leaves of the pyramidal pedunculate oak are dark green, dense.

The plant is frost-resistant. Grows slowly. Prefers moderately moist, fresh, loose soil. Drought tolerant. Does not tolerate waterlogging.

Oak pedunculate pyramidal does not need pruning, as it has a pyramidal crown. To preserve its attractiveness, cutting of dry branches is necessary. Reproduces by budding and copulation. The seedling is planted 5, 6 years after grafting. Well takes root in the lighted, protected from wind places. Its roots go to great depths and, meeting groundwater, form many side branches. At the same time, its top dries up. Therefore, it is important at home to protect oak from excess moisture.

The tree is used for landscaping parks, alleys, creating hedges. It is planted in group and single landings.

Popular forms of pedunculate oak

The plant has several different types, which differ in the shape of the crown, leaves and leaf color. Forms of crowns of English oak: pyramidal, weeping and spherical. The pyramidal crown can be cypress, silver point, green, golden point.

Depending on the shape of the leaves, the tree is:

Photo gallery

Due to the color of the leaves, the following forms of English oak are distinguished:

Photo gallery

Before planting in a permanent place, young seedlings are grown for two years. To obtain a new form of oak, winter and summer grafting is used.

Common oak in history and literature

Since ancient times, the pedunculate oak has been considered a majestic and noble tree. During the time of Peter the Great, by order of the tsar, whole oak forests were planted. Those who harmed or damaged these plants were severely punished. The pedunculate oak was used in landscaping alleys, gardens at estates.

The acorns were intended to feed the pigs, and in times of famine, they served people as food. From the flour of crushed acorns in the old days they made cakes.

In ancient times, this tree was considered sacred and associated with the god Zeus. Oak forests were protected. These trees were inviolable. Oak was worshiped by ancient shamans. In ancient Greece, the oak branch symbolized strength, power and wealth. They were awarded to the most courageous warriors who became famous for their great deeds.

There were legends about the healing properties of oak. It was believed that this tree gives powerful charge positive energy. The bark, buds, seeds, fruits, leaves and wood were used by folk healers to treat many diseases. Oak brooms for strong men were valued more than birch brooms. Oak broom gave health, strength, replenished the supply of vital energy.

AT good conditions oak can live for several hundred years, for which they called it "secular".

Among the long-lived oaks that have survived to this day:

Stelmuzhskiy

Zaporozhye oak

Kaiser Oak

King oak.

Some of them are over one and a half thousand years old.

Many famous writers have mentioned this mighty tree in their literary works. A poem by A.S. Pushkin begins with the line: “On the sea - the ocean, on the island of Buyan there is a green oak ...” or the popular poem of this writer “Ruslan and Lyudmila” begins with the words: “On the seashore the oak is green ...” Mozart also mentioned oak in a piece of music.

Many settlements in Russia, Belarus, Poland and the Czech Republic are named after oaks. The image of this tree can be seen on the coat of arms of the city of Dubna.

Oak is one of the most beautiful trees, growing in a temperate climate, known for its longevity, strength and greatness. This powerful handsome man grows to an impressive size: the height of the tree can be 50 meters or more, and the diameter of the trunk reaches 1.5-2 meters. There are separate specimens, the trunk of which can fit inside small room, dimensions up to 3 meters (such an oak grows in France).

This plant is also distinguished by its incredible longevity. To date, oaks still live on our planet, which number over 2 thousand years. And some of them continue to bloom and bear fruit! Although such a solid age is a rarity even for oak. It is much more common to find trees that are several hundred years old. Already at this age, they reach a trunk diameter of about one and a half meters.

The bark of an adult tree dark color and a pronounced relief texture, as if it is dotted with many deep furrows. The bark of the plant contains a large amount of tannins, so it is widely used in the economy. It is used for dyeing fabrics and tanning leather, as an astringent in medicine and cosmetology.

The wood of this tree is of great commercial importance, it is one of the most durable wood materials. Interestingly, the quality of wood may differ depending on the area in which it was mined. If the tree grew in a floodplain or swampy area, its wood will be resilient, but brittle when dry. The same trunks that were cut down on the plain, in a dry place, are less resilient to fracture and have greater hardness.

Description of the common oak

The most common type is common oak, it is also called English or petiolate. It belongs to the Beech family, the habitat of the species covers North hemisphere, where the climate is close to temperate, although some varieties can be found around the equator and further south. Most oaks are deciduous, but there are also evergreens. You can list several varieties of this tree, each of which has its own small external differences and vegetative features:

1. Mongolian;
2. Caucasian alpine;
3. Red;
4. large-fruited;
5. chestnut leaf;
6. Bolotny;
7. Stone;
8. White.

The greatness of this powerful handsome man is best revealed when he grows in an open area: on the edge of a forest, a clearing, a lawn, at some distance from other trees. Then he gets the maximum nutrition and light, and the branches have the opportunity to take a natural free sprawling shape characteristic of the crown of this species. The branches are located alternately on the trunk and, in the presence of free space, occupy a large area, forming many turns and bends.

Leaves

The oak leaf in most cases is an oblong lobed shape, pinnatipartite, with serrated edges. It has five to seven lobes and a dense, leathery texture. It is easy to distinguish evergreen oak from deciduous oak by the shape of the leaves: deciduous tree species have a dissected shape, while evergreens are distinguished by a smooth edge. The leaves form an openwork crown, it is located on a wide trunk, forming a kind of tent, which creates a dense shadow under it.

Bloom

Common oak blooms in mid-late spring, immediately after leaves appear on the branches. Flowering is unisexual, male and female vegetative organs are formed on the same plant. Flowering form - long green catkins (male type) and shorter, with a pinkish tinge ( female type). By mid-autumn, the fruits of the tree - acorns - ripen. For many forest animals, they are a valuable source nutrients.

root system

The root system of oak has a powerful structure. The main taproot goes to a great depth, while the lateral roots form a tortuous system of peculiar sleeves that repeatedly change the direction of growth in search of moisture and nutrition, just as crown branches repeatedly bend in search of sunlight. The oak tree grows a root system in volume approximately equal to the projection of the crown, and sometimes exceeding its area.

Growing a tree

Those who are going to grow this tree on their site should first of all understand what does oak look like where oak grows in nature and what are its requirements for growing conditions. Given the size of the plant in adulthood, it is worth thinking carefully before planting it in your backyard. Perhaps it makes sense to pay attention to small-sized species, such as Caucasian alpine oak or varietal varieties of pedunculate:

1. Asplenifolia;
2. Concordia;
3. Compakta;
4. Variegata.

Artificially bred varieties are small in size and have a beautiful compact crown shape that will decorate any garden landscape. But you should know that the needs for lighting and nutrition of this plant are great. It does not like shading and a beautiful healthy specimen of a tree can only be grown in an open area. At the same time, not a single plant can grow under the oak itself, since the fallen leaves secrete tannins that suppress vegetation.

Oak is easy enough to grow from acorns. You can plant them immediately after falling, or you can wait until spring, because seedlings sometimes sprout immediately after planting and die with the onset of frost. But despite the relative ease of germination, it will take a long time to wait for full development, because this tree grows slowly, and begins to bear fruit only a couple of decades after planting. Given this, it is more advisable to purchase a grown copy of the desired variety in the nursery.

Requirements for growing conditions

The tree is not demanding on the composition of the soil; it can grow both on sandy soils and on moist soils of different acidity. But it is preferable to grow this beautiful giant on a flat open area, not subject to flooding by melt water. Every year in the fall, it is recommended to rake the fallen leaves of the tree and burn or compost. This must be done because the leaves left to overheat on the site will fill the soil with tannins, and it will be impossible to grow any greens in the crown radius.

Trees of this species are distinguished by a large margin of safety. They are frost-resistant, resistant to winds and drought, but susceptible to fungal diseases and pest damage. When growing them on your site, you should not neglect regular preventive treatments, just as it is done in relation to fruit trees. Such measures will require some effort, but they will help keep pets and raise them healthy and beautiful.

• Demanding on soil fertility. Grows best in deep, fertile, fresh loam LOAM - sandy-clay soil containing 10-30% of clay particles less than 0.005 mm in size (or 30-50% of particles less than 0.01 mm) and a significant amount of sand (50-70%). A ball rolled from loam is crushed into a cake, along the edges of which cracks form. Loams are divided into light, medium and heavy. They hold water and nutrients well, accumulate heat, light and medium loams are considered the most successful soils for agriculture. and sandy loam LOAM (sandy loam soil) - loose sandy-clay soil containing no more than 10% of clay particles smaller than 0.005 mm in size and a lot of sand. Sandy loam is the least plastic of all clay soils; when it is rubbed between the fingers, grains of sand are felt, it does not roll well into a cord. A ball rolled from sandy loam crumbles if you press a little on it. Sandy loamy soil is well aerated, heats up quickly and cools down quickly, holds water and nutrients poorly, and is easy to work with.. Likes moist soils, but does not tolerate excessive waterlogging.
• In nature, it grows on gray forest GRAY FOREST SOILS - are formed in the forest-steppe zone under conditions of a periodically leaching water regime under the canopy of broad-leaved, mixed or small-leaved forests with diverse and abundant herbaceous vegetation. The upper humus layer is gray in color, with a lumpy-granular structure, no more than 20-25 cm thick. Usually quite fertile, but require protection from water erosion. loam, podzolic soils PODZOL SOILS are typical soils of coniferous and northern (“boreal”) forests. The name comes from the words “under” and “ash” and appeared, apparently, from Russian peasants, who, when plowing, found a layer resembling ash. These soils are formed in damp and cold areas, which are characterized by: depletion of plant litter in nitrogen and ash elements, leaching of nutrients from the soil, slow soil life with a predominance of fungi, long-term decomposition of organic matter with a tendency to oxidize the soil., degraded chernozems CHERNOZYOM ("black earth") - rich in humus, dark-colored soil, formed on loams or clays in a subboreal and temperate continental climate with periodically leaching or non-leaching water regime under perennial herbaceous vegetation. Chernozems are distinguished by good water-air properties, cloddy-granular structure and increased fertility., on the burozems BUROZOMS (brown forest soils) - soil formed under broad-leaved, mixed and less often coniferous forests in warm-temperate conditions humid climate under washing water regime. Burozems are characterized by brown color, lumpy structure, high humus content, slightly acidic or acidic reaction. Fertile, valued in forestry and agriculture.(in the mountains), on dry rocky calcareous soils LIME SOIL - soil containing at least 50% lime. Calcareous soils are loose, easy to work, heat up quickly, form a crust after rain, hold water poorly, plants often suffer from drought and lack of oxygen. They have an alkaline reaction, are moderately fertile.(in the mountains), on sandy loam, solonetzic SALONETZES - soils with a large amount of water-soluble sodium salts. They form in arid areas of the temperate, tropical and subtropical zones under conditions of a non-leaching water regime. Unlike solonchaks, solonetzes contain salts not in the uppermost layer, but at some depth. Salt licks are viscous and sticky when wet, become hard and difficult to process when dried, have a strongly compacted subsurface horizon, an alkaline reaction, and often form a crust on the surface. SOLONTSIC SOILS have similar properties, but in terms of quantitative indicators they are not classified as solonets.(in the steppes), alluvial ALLUVIAL (FLOWDAY) SOILS - a group of soils located in floodplains of rivers. Them distinguishing feature- Periodic flooding by flood waters, accompanied by the introduction and deposition of new mineral and organic material on the soil surface. In addition, these soils are characterized by close occurrence of groundwater. Most alluvial soils contain silt, sand and gravel and are very fertile.(in floodplains major rivers) soils.
• Can grow on medium (loamy) and heavy ( clayey CLAY SOIL - soil containing more than 30% clay particles (less than 0.005 mm in size). Clay soil is very plastic, rolls well into a cord. A ball rolled from clay is compressed into a cake without cracking along the edges. Clay soils are heavy, dense, viscous, difficult to cultivate, very rich in minerals and microelements, and poorly permeable to water and air. When it rains, water stagnates on the clay, and in a drought the earth becomes hard as a brick.) soils.
• It can grow in acidic, neutral and alkaline soils. Does not like acidic soils. With a strongly acid reaction of the soil, which usually occurs under the influence of spruce, the oak dies, yielding to the dominance of spruce.
• Thanks to a powerful root system, it can grow on dry, poor, stony soils.
• Tolerates soil compaction. But excessive compaction in places with immoderate recreational load or overgrazing of animals leads to crown dryness.