Quercus acutissima
Sawthorn Oak
a perennial woody deciduous member of the Quercus genus in the family Fagaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - cooked[2][5]. The seed is up to 25mm long[7]. It can be dried, ground into a powder and used as a thickening in stews etc or mixed with cereals for making bread. The seed contains bitter tannins, these can be leached out by thoroughly washing the seed in running water though many minerals will also be lost. Either the whole seed can be used or the seed can be dried and ground it into a powder. It can take several days or even weeks to properly leach whole seeds, one method was to wrap them in a cloth bag and place them in a stream. Leaching the powder is quicker. A simple taste test can tell when the tannin has been leached. The traditional method of preparing the seed was to bury it in boggy ground overwinter. The germinating seed was dug up in the spring when it would have lost most of its astringency. Young leaves - cooked. A famine food when all else fails[5]. The roasted seed is a coffee substitute.
- Plant part
- Leaves
- Plant part
- Seed
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The stem bark is used to clean foul sores[8]. The seeds are used in the treatment of diarrhoea, menorrhagia and gastrointestinal hypertrophy[8]. The cupule (seed cup) is astringent[8]. Any galls produced on the tree are strongly astringent and can be used in the treatment of haemorrhages, chronic diarrhoea, dysentery etc[9].
- Product or use
- Astringent
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
A mulch of the leaves repels slugs, grubs etc, though fresh leaves should not be used as these can inhibit plant growth. Oak galls are excrescences that are sometimes produced in great numbers on the tree and are caused by the activity of the larvae of different insects. The insects live inside these galls, obtaining their nutrient therein. When the insect pupates and leaves, the gall can be used as a rich source of tannin, that can also be used as a dyestuff[9]. A black dye is obtained from the seed cups[3]. Wood - used for boat building and construction[3]. The wood is also used for fuel and charcoal[4][3].
- Product or use
- Charcoal
- Product or use
- Dye
- Product or use
- Fuel
- Product or use
- Repellent
- Product or use
- Tannin
- Product or use
- Wood
Ecology and functions
- Ecosystem niche
- Secondary canopy
Environment
- Range
- E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea.
- Habitat
- Often forming pure forests or growing with Pinus species, to 1000 metres in W. China[3].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 5+
- Soil textures
- loamy, clay, heavy clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Tolerances
- high wind
- Wind
- Yes
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - quickly loses viability if allowed to dry out. It can be stored moist and cool overwinter but is best sown as soon as it is ripe in an outdoor seed bed but must be protected from mice, squirrels etc. Small quantities of seed can be sown in deep pots in a cold frame. Plants produce a deep taproot and need to be planted out into their permanent positions as soon as possible, in fact seed sown in situ will produce the best trees[4]. Trees should not be left in a nursery bed for more than 2 growing seasons without being moved or they will transplant very badly.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Prefers a good deep fertile loam which can be on the stiff side[1][4]. Lime tolerant[6]. Young plants tolerate reasonable levels of side shade[7]. Tolerates moderate exposure, surviving well but being somewhat stunted[7]. Prefers warmer summers than are usually experienced in Britain, trees often grow poorly in this country and fail to properly ripen their wood resulting in frost damage overwinter[7]. Intolerant of root disturbance, trees should be planted in their permanent positions whilst young[4]. The seed ripens in its second year[7]. This species is closely related to Q. variabilis[1]. Often cultivated in China as a coppiced tree for fuel and charcoal[3]. Hybridizes freely with other members of the genus[7]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[7].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00
Wilson. E. H. Plantae Wilsonae.
Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9