COMMON OAK (Quercus robur) a.k.a. English Oak

This is a large deciduous tree which can grow to 30-40m in height. It is slow growing and long lived - a thousand years or more. It is probably the most common tree to be found in Britain.

The grey bark is ridged and furrowed on mature trees.

The flowers appear in April or May. The male flowers hang on bright green catkins. The female flowers are reddish-brown and appear near the tip of each twig, on the end of long stalks. The leaves appear in April before the flowers and are usually shed around November time.

The seeds, known as acorns, appear in October and are much loved by squirrels. They are half an inch to an inch long and mature in a single season.