Sessile oak  (Quercus petraea)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Description

Oak trees have a special place in the English psyche, and are well-loved symbols of strength (4). The crown of this magnificent native tree is domed, with branches that radiate outwards and are straighter than those of Britain’s other native oak, pedunculate or English oak (Quercus robur). Another distinction between these two oaks is that the crown of sessile oak appears more open when in leaf, as the leaves are evenly spread rather than in clusters as they are in pedunculate oak (3). The bark is greyish in colour and has mainly vertical fine fissures and ridges (3). The dark green leaves are smooth on the upper surface but pale green and hairy below. They usually have five lobes on each side, which gives a typical ‘wavy-edged’ outline (2). The sessile oak is so called because the acorns are not supported on stalks (‘peduncles’) as they are in the pedunculate oak (4).

left