Practical
Plants

Quercus robur

Pedunculate Oak

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Quercus genus in the family Fagaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Fagaceae
Genus
Quercus
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
slow
Height
30 m
Spread
30 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
monoecious
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

None known

Edible uses

Seed - cooked[11][24][30][4]. Nourishing but indigestible[23]. Chopped and roasted, the seed is used as an almond substitute[30]. It can be dried, ground into a powder and used as a thickening in stews etc or mixed with cereals for making bread[9]. 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[27]. 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. The roasted seed is a coffee substitute[16][26]. An edible gum is obtained from the bark[7]. Another report says that an edible manna is obtained from the plant and that it is used instead of butter in cooking[9]. This report probably refers to the gum[K].

Product or use
Coffee
Product or use
Gum
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.

The oak tree has a long history of medicinal use. It is anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, astringent, decongestant, haemostatic and tonic[23][29][32][4][16][5]. The bark is the part of the plant that is most commonly used[23], though other parts such as the galls, seeds and seed cups are also sometimes used[29]. A decoction of the bark is useful in the treatment of chronic diarrhoea, dysentery, intermittent fevers, haemorrhages etc[23]. Externally, it is used to bathe wounds, skin eruptions, sweaty feet, piles etc[32]. It is also used as a vaginal douche for genital inflammations and discharge, and also as a wash for throat and mouth infections[32]. The bark is harvested from branches 5 - 12 years old, and is dried for later use[32]. Any galls produced on the tree are strongly astringent and can be used in the treatment of haemorrhages, chronic diarrhoea, dysentery etc[23]. The plant is used in Bach flower remedies - the keywords for prescribing it are 'Despondency', 'Despair, but never ceasing effort'[15]. A homeopathic remedy is made from the bark. It is used in the treatment of disorders of the spleen and gall bladder[32].

Product or use
Antiseptic
Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Bach
Product or use
Decongestant
Product or use
Haemostatic
Product or use
Tonic

Material uses

A mulch of the leaves repels slugs, grubs etc, though fresh leaves should not be used as these can inhibit plant growth[12][14]. The bark is an ingredient of 'Quick Return' herbal compost activator[22]. This is a dried and powdered mixture of several herbs that can be added to a compost heap in order to speed up bacterial activity and thus shorten the time needed to make the compost[K]. The bark is very rich in calcium[8]. 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[23]. A black dye and an excellent long-lasting ink is made from the oak galls, mixed with salts of iron[23][29][28]. The colour is not very durable[23]. When mixed with alum, the dye is brown and with salts of tin it is yellow[23]. Trees can be coppiced to provide material for basket making, fuel, construction etc[19]. The wood is a source of tar, quaiacol, acetic acid, creosote and tannin[3]. Tannin is extracted commercially from the bark and is also found in the leaves[17]. On a 10% moisture basis, the bark contains11.6% tannin and the wood 9.2%[17]. The bark strips easily from the wood in April and May[23]. A purplish dye is obtained from an infusion of the bark with a small quantity of copperas[23]. It is not bright, but is said to be durable[23]. Wood - hard, tough, durable even under water - highly valued for furniture, construction etc[23][4][26][28]. It is also a good fuel[25] and charcoal[26].

Product or use
Basketry
Product or use
Charcoal
Product or use
Compost
Product or use
Fuel
Product or use
Ink
Product or use
Repellent
Product or use
Tannin
Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy

Environment

Range
Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to Spain, the Urals and Crimea.
Habitat
Often the dominant woodland tree, especially on clay soils and in the eastern half of Britain, but avoiding acid peat and shallow limestone soils[6].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
high
Hardiness
Zone 4+
Soil textures
loamy, clay, heavy clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerances
high wind, drought
Wind
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

Seed - it quickly loses viability if it is 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, though it 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[2]. 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

Prefers a good deep fertile loam which can be on the stiff side[2]. Young plants tolerate reasonable levels of side shade[13]. Succeeds in heavy clay soils[4] and in wet soils so long as the ground is not water-logged for long periods[10]. Dislikes dry or shallow soils but is otherwise drought tolerant once it is established[10]. Tolerant of exposed sites though it dislikes salt-laden winds[10]. The oak is a very important timber tree in Britain, it is also a very important food plant for the caterpillars of many species of butterfly[21], there are 284 insect species associated with this tree[20]. It has often been coppiced or pollarded for its wood in the past[19], though this should not be done too frequently[10], about once every 50 years is the average. The tree flowers on new growth produced in spring, the seed ripening in its first year[13][18]. Older trees have a thick corky bark and this can protect them from forest fires, young trees will often regenerate from the base if cut down or killed back by a fire[10]. Intolerant of root disturbance, trees should be planted in their permanent positions whilst young[2]. Hybridizes freely with other members of the genus[13]. Immune to attacks by the tortix moth[1]. This species is notably resistant to honey fungus[31][13].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  2. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  3. ? Encyclopaedia Britannica. 15th edition.

    ↩

  4. Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-600-33545-3

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  5. Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.

    ↩

  6. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩

  7. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  8. Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979-00-00

    ↩

  9. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2

  10. Beckett. G. and K. Planting Native Trees and Shrubs. Jarrold 1979-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  11. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

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  12. Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978-00-00 ISBN 0-88266-064-0

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  13. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  14. Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0-304-34324-2

    ↩

  15. Chancellor. P. M. Handbook of the Bach Flower Remedies C. W. Daniel Co. Ltd. 1985-00-00 ISBN 85207 002 0

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  16. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

    ↩1↩2

  17. Rottsieper. E.H.W. Vegetable Tannins The Forestal Land, Timber and Railways Co. Ltd. 1946-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  18. Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980-00-00 ISBN 0442238622

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  19. Wright. D. Complete Book of Baskets and Basketry. David and Charles 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-7153-7449-4

    ↩1↩2

  20. Baines. C. Making a Wildlife Garden.

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  21. Carter D. Butterflies and Moths in Britain and Europe. Pan 1982-00-00 ISBN 0-330-26642-x

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  22. Bruce. M. E. Commonsense Compost Making. Faber 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-571-09990-4

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  23. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9↩10↩11↩12↩13

  24. Mabey. R. Food for Free. Collins 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219060-5

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  25. Mabey. R. Plants with a Purpose. Fontana 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-00-635555-2

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  26. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩1↩2↩3

  27. Howes. F. N. Nuts. Faber 1948-00-00

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  28. Freethy. R. From Agar to Zenery. The Crowood Press 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-946284-51-2

    ↩1↩2

  29. Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-356-10541-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  30. Ceres. Free for All. Thorsons Publishers 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-7225-0445-4

    ↩1↩2

  31. RHS. The Garden. Volume 112. Royal Horticultural Society 1987-00-00

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  32. Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

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