Oak Tree

“Thrice on my bossy shield I struck my spear;

And thrice a ghost's shrill voice was heard in air;

The sacred oaks the skirt this sloping wood

Are dead--revive their withered roots with blood;

The blood of foes shall fertilize the plain,

And Odin's sprit feast on heaps of slain.

Hark! Now I hear his mighty voice from far--

Rise, sons of Odin, and prepare for war.”

Imagine a tranquil Southern landscape, and your mind’s eye will most likely envision Spanish moss hanging from the branches of a great old Oak, the tree’s massive main branches spreading out in every direction above an expanse of lawn or pasture.

The tree that most perfectly fits this image is the majestic Live Oak, a species often characterized by almost horizontal main branches that can spread into a shade canopy of 100 feet or more in diameter.

The Live Oak is one of the most impressive trees in North America, and more than just a beautiful source of shade. The tree is also known for its particularly strong and dense wood, so much so that the United States Navy once maintained its own Live Oak forests. In fact, the first national land preserve was a Live Oak forest purchased in 1789 by the United States Navy. The Live Oak earned its place in Naval history as the lumber used to construct the USS Constitution, which became affectionately known as “Old Ironsides” after British cannonballs repeatedly bounced off the American frigate’s hull during the War of 1812. 

An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus (Latin "oak tree"), having approximately 600 extant species. The common name "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus. The genus is native to the Northern Hemisphere, and includes deciduous and evergreen species extending from cool temperate to tropical latitudes in Asia and the Americas. The center of endemism is regarded as North America, particularly Mexico.

Oaks have spirally arranged leaves, with lobate margins in many species; some have serrated leaves or entire leaves with smooth margins. Many deciduous species are marcescent, not dropping dead leaves until spring. In spring, a single oak tree produces both male flowers (in the form of catkins) and small female flowers. The fruit is a nut called an acorn, borne in a cup-like structure known as a cupule; each acorn contains one seed (rarely two or three) and takes 6–18 months to mature, depending on species. The live oaks are distinguished for being evergreen, but are not actually a distinct group and instead are dispersed across the genus.

Since the distant past trees have been well-regarded by many religions across the world and have spawned many a mythic mind's eye. The oak tree too has a special mention in ancient religious history. It is found in many countries across Europe, through to Asia in the east and the Mediterranean in the south. In Roman mythology, the oak tree was hallowed to the god Zeus. The tree at his sanctuary in Dodona also served as an oracle. Earlier, most of Britain and the Western Europe were covered by oak forests. The people living in these forests used the oak trees to make tools like hammers and axes and also worshipped the biggest oak tree. They even believed that the oak tree was the gate to heaven. One British tale has it that the legendary wizard Merlin made his magic wand from the branch of an oak tree. Even Robin Hood and his friends met under a big oak tree in Sherwood Forest! The oak tree evokes a feeling of continued existence and steadfastness. It is one of the longest living trees in the world and holds great importance in the collective psyche of people.

Oak trees are deciduous, broad-leaved trees that shed all their leaves during one season. Live Oaks can thrive in almost any location and have superior wind resistance. On the other hand, a Live Oak’s character will often change dramatically with location: On dry sites it may assume a dwarf form and in colder northern climates it drops its leaves in the fall like other broad-leaf trees. The best type of soil for a healthy and nutritious growth of deciduous trees is referred to as podzol (also spelled podsol). Live Oaks adapt to almost any soil, grow rapidly when young and often live to be centuries old. Typical mature sizes are 40 to 80 feet in height with an 80 foot spread.

 

A word or two about acorns (Oak seeds)

Sweet Live Oak acorns top the food preference list for birds such as wood ducks, wild turkeys, quail and jays, and mammals such as squirrels, raccoons and whitetail deer. Oak trees begin to produce acorns at about 20 years of age, but 50 years is not an unusual period for the first crop. Oak trees produce acorns once per year during the Fall. An individual tree’s acorn production varies year to year, with the strongest production normally alternating every other year. Late Spring frost can blight the flowers and stunt or prevent acorn development, and of course drought and insects can decimate crops. Acorn production typically increases over the long run, in proportion to the size of an individual tree’s canopy. An average 100-year old Oak will produce around 2,200 acorns per year.

Oh yes, we almost forgot the one acorn question you really wanted to know the answer to: Only 1 acorn in 10,000 will grow up to be an Oak tree.

 

Famous Live Oaks

Here in Florida, the “Cellon Oak” in LaCrosse, Alachua County, measures 30 feet in circumference and 85 feet tall, with a 160 foot average crown spread.

The “Seven Sisters Oak” in Lewisburg – Mandeville, Louisiana is believed to be the oldest North American Live Oak, measuring 37 feet, 2 inches in circumference with a crown spread of 150 feet. This great Oak is estimated to be over 1,000 years old.

Need a frame of reference? A crown spread of 150 feet or more is broad enough to cover half of a football field, including the sideline areas and the first few rows of seats on both sides of the field.

 

For the Scientifically Curious

Live Oak is the heaviest native hardwood, weighing 55 pounds per cubic foot when air dry. This mass density also made Live Oak the preferred wood to burn as fuel through the years.

Oak trees are members of the Beech family. The formal scientific name for the Oak genus is Quercus Lithocarpus. The Live Oak’s family tree (no pun intended) appears below:

Kingdom: Plantae – Plants

  Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants

    Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants

      Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants

        Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons

          Subclass: Hamamelidae

            Order: Fagales

              Family: Fagaceae – Beech family

                Genus: Quercus L. – Oak

                  Species: Quercus Virginiana P. Mill. – Live Oak

And just in case you were wondering, that strange, scientific-sounding name for the Live Oak species is pronounced: KWERKUS-us ver-jin-ee-AY-nuh.

 

Tree trivia, not necessarily about Live Oaks, 

but still fascinating nonetheless

A notch in a tree remains at the same distance from the ground as the tree grows.

Quinine, one of the most important drugs known to man, is obtained from the dried bark of an evergreen tree native to South America.

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the single-seeded fruit of the giant fan palm, or Laodicea maldivica, can weigh 44 lbs. Commonly known as the double coconut or coco de mer, it is found in the wild only in the Seychelles Islands, off the coast of India.

James Markham obtained the first patent ever issued for a tree in 1932. The patent was for a peach tree.

Rice paper isn't made from rice but from a small tree which grows on the island of Formosa (Taiwan).

Tea was so expensive, when first imported into Europe during the early 17th century, that it was kept locked in wooden boxes.

The California Redwood, more correctly called the Giant Sequoia, is the tallest and largest living organism on Earth.

The oldest known living thing is not a giant Redwood, but rather a Bristlecone Pine in the White Mountains of California, with an age estimated at 4,600 years.

The pineapple was a symbol of hospitality and welcome during the 18th and 19th centuries, which explains why one sees so many pineapple motif door knockers in New England. Seafarers of the era brought pineapples home as favored gifts.

Salicylic acid, derived from Willow bark, has been used as a pain remedy for over 2,500 years. The Greeks first discovered the bark’s therapeutic power. You probably know Salicylic acid better as aspirin.

The Rose family, in addition to the well-known flower, includes apples, cherries, pears, plums, almonds, apricots and peaches.

Bamboo, which can reach 130 feet or more in height, is not a tree. It is actually the world’s tallest growing grass.

Interesting Facts about Oak Trees

Oak trees belong to the genus Quercus and are members of the beech tree family.

All oak trees are deciduous, which means that they drop their leaves during one season.

There are over four hundred varieties of oak trees. Some of the common varieties include ‘white oak’, ‘black oak’, ‘northern red oak’ and ‘chestnut oak’.

The wood of the oak tree is very strong and is often used in the manufacturing of furniture.

For centuries oak trees were used in the construction of boats and ships.

Oak barrels are used in the distilling of certain wines and liquors, producing a pleasing flavor in the final product.

Oaks consume a large amount of water. Mature trees sometimes absorb more than 50 gallons of water each day.

Many European nations use the oak tree as a ‘national tree’ as it symbolizes strength and long life.

Oak trees can grow as high as 70 feet and reach widths of over 9 feet. Their branches can span between 85 and 135 feet in breadth!

Oak trees produce seeds called ‘acorns’ during fall any time after reaching 20 years and before 50 years of age.

They can produce an average of 2,200 acorns yearly after reaching 100 years of age.

One oak tree in Windsor is said to be over 800 years old. It was planted during the reign of King John, and has lived through the reign of 35 monarchs!

The oak remains a symbol of spiritual significance. The Bible refers to the oak tree 23 times!

The six pence, one of Britain’s oldest coins, has an oak tree engraved on it.

Most acorns that fall to the ground do not develop into oak trees as they are very difficult to germinate. In fact, only one out of every 10,000 acorns develops into an oak tree! This tree is, however, foremost remembered for its great strength and longevity.

Hope you enjoyed reading these interesting facts about the oak tree given in the information above.