The oak tree once formed a third of all tree cover in Britain. An important tree, the oak was once held sacred by the Druids, and has always had many practical uses. There are two main species of oak – the English or pendunculate oak, known in Latin as Quercus robur, and the sessile oak, called Quercus petraea.
 
Lifespan: 800 years
Height: This broad spreading tree can reach up to 30 metres in Scotland.
Leaves: Easy to identify due to the rounded knobs - or lobes - that extend round the whole leaf.
Seeds: Most oaks do not produce acorns until they are over 50 years old. The oak’s acorns are carried on long stalks or ‘peduncles’.
Flowers: The female flowers are on stalks - a feature characteristic of the English oak that distinguishes it from the closely related sessile oak.
Bark: An oak tree’s bark becomes fissured with age.
Insect species it supports: 500
Native to: Europe and Asia Minor
Uses: From the early days, its strong and durable timber was found to be ideal for shipbuilding and for making timber frames of buildings. The tannin in its bark was also used for tanning leather. Even the sawdust was, and still is, used for smoking food. Today, oak timber is used to make furniture and barrels. The tree is also planted for its conservation value.