Sessile Oak History and Facts
Sessile oak, also known as (Quercus petraea), is a broad-leaved tree and is native to the UK and much of Europe.
There are only a few differences compared to the English oak and the pedunculated oak; both species are similar in appearance and commonly hybridize with each other. The tree is often planted outside of its natural habitat.
Identify a Sessile Oak
It is a huge deciduous tree and can grow to a height of 40 m. Unlike common and English oak, acorns are stemless. The trunk sits more upright and the branches are also straighter with longer leaf stalks than English oak.
As the oak ages, they form a broad crown that extends its entire length and develops thick branches in the lower parts of the trunk. Since the tree has a clear or open canopy, it allows wildflowers such as primroses and bluebells to grow on the forest floor below. Before ripening, the bark is very smooth, greyish-brown in colour, once ripe it becomes rough with deep fissures.
They have a monoecious reproductive system, which means that both the male and female parts are found on the same tree. The green male flowers are catkins, while the female flowers (bracts) are red buds and hang in clusters. Once wind pollinated, the red female buds develop into a large shiny seed with a wooden shell at the base. A young acorn is green but turns brown before falling.
Interesting data:
The reason it is called Sessile Oak is because the acorns are not produced on stems like English Oak and Pedunculated Oak (peduncles), but instead grow on the outer twigs (sessile).
importance to wildlife
It doesn’t particularly matter which oak tree animals and insects inhabit, as they all support a great deal of wildlife. More than 280 insects inhabit the tree which also attracts many of its predators such as birds. You will often find lichens, mosses and liverworts growing on the bark of the tree and dead wood crevices provide a perfect habit for bats to roost and birds to nest in. Small mammals like red squirrels, badgers, and jays also eat acorns.
As the fallen leaves decompose during the fall, they develop into thick mold on the forest floor, and in turn provide a good habitat for beetles and fungi.
How we use oak
One of the hardest and strongest woods known to man, it was used for many years, primarily for shipbuilding until the mid-19th century, and continues to be an excellent choice for structural beams. Historically, all the main elements (leaves, acorns, and bark) of the tree were thought to cure many medical problems such as inflammation, kidney stones, and diarrhea. Today we use it for things like wine barrels, firewood, and flooring.
Long ago, humans collected acorns and turned them into flour to make bread. It is a technique that became extinct 10,000 years ago, mainly because of domestic wheat production. Now we only leave the acorns for the mammals and birds.
Threats, Pests and Diseases
There are a large number of oak trees in Britain and they are protected from over-harvesting. However, there are still numerous pests and diseases that are affecting them. Foliage can be severely damaged by the oak processionary moth, increasing infection swings from even more diseases. The moth is also a danger to human health and can cause breathing problems as well as itchy skin due to the tiny hairs on its body.
Other diseases that affect the tree include chronic oak decline and acute oak decline. These conditions are serious threats to tree health and can be caused by a number of factors. Attention was first drawn in the 1920s to the decline of a large number of mature oak trees. Hardest hit today are the central and southern parts of England. You can usually detect this by a thin canopy and broken branches, as well as bleeding cankers on the trunk.