The wise old English oak trees are truly interesting trees. Here are eight amazing facts about oak trees that might surprise you!
Do you recognise this leaf? It looks a little bit like it’s been cut out neatly with scissors. It comes from one of our most special trees — the oak!
- Some trees have trunks that are very smooth, but the trunk of an oak tree is ridged and wrinkly.
- Oak trees produce acorns. Acorns are green when they appear in spring, but they turn brown in autumn, when squirrels, badgers and mice like to eat them!
- Oak trees have been growing here on Earth for about 45 million years.
- Every oak tree started its life as a tiny acorn. It seems incredible that something so big can come from something so small — but it’s true!
- The wood from oak trees is very hard and strong. People use it to make chairs, tables and even big ships!
- A tree like this is also a home for hundreds of insect species. This means an oak tree is an important place for birds to find food.
- Over history, the oak has been a symbol for strength and power. Some Roman emperors wore crowns of oak leaves.
- Oak trees can live to be very old. Some of the trees we see today have experienced spring more than 800 times!
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Photo credit: prescott09 / Boris Bulychev / lstudio / Adobe Stock Â
