Pedunculate oak  (Quercus robur)

The English oak flowers between May and June. Towards the end of summer the acorns begin to ripen, becoming fully ripe by October (2). The acorns are rich in starch and tannins, and are eaten by small mammals and a number of birds. Jays and squirrels are extremely important in dispersing acorns away from the parent trees; they bury them for later consumption, and many of these acorns germinate (4).

Young oak trees are vulnerable to insect predation. They grow very quickly, but after reaching 100-200 years of age their rate of growth slows down. After this time, however they continue to increase in girth (5). This oak is a very long-lived species; specimens typically live for up to 500 years, but some oaks are known to be 700 to 1200 years old (5). Indeed, Britain has more ancient oaks than any other country in western Europe (4).

Acorns were once widely used to feed pigs; they were also ground down to make a substitute for coffee and even a type of bread (5). A good crop of acorns was used to predict a good harvest, and a heavy fall of acorns was thought to signal an impending harsh winter (5). Oak Apple Day occurs on the 29th of May, and commemorates the return of Charles II to London after exile. During exile, he was hidden inside an oak tree, and he declared that the 29th of May should be set aside as a holiday for 'the dressing of trees'. It is not certain why the day is named after oak apples, the spongy galls caused by parasitic wasps (4).