Acorn Tree
All About the Acorn Tree
The acorn tree is the majestic oak tree that is in a species with about four hundred other shrubs and trees. Oak trees are originally from the northern hemisphere, but the species includes evergreens and deciduous shrubs and trees that stretch from America to the colder latitudes to Asia.
Oaks have leaves that are arranged in spirals, most with a margin that is lobed. Some of the species have leaves that are more serrated. The flowers of the acorn tree are called catkins, and they are produced in the spring. The fruit is the acorn, which is actually a nut, and it is born in a part of the tree called the cupule. Every acorn normally contains one seed, and on rare occasions they may have two seeds. The acorn takes about six to eighteen months to fully mature, and this is mainly dependent on the species of the tree. The "live oaks", or oaks that have evergreen leaves, are not a group on their own - their members are scattered through all the types of oaks.
The acorn tree is a flowering plant, and there are many hybrids brought about by selective breeding in horticulture. This has brought forth some issues about the population of the acorn tree, wherever in the world it grows. There is a great amount of introgression among the hybrids, and perhaps even the evolution of a totally new species of tree. The excess hybridization causes some different types of trees in the same oak population to share nearly half of their genetic information. Then, the genetic data doesn't any longer differentiate between distinct species, but instead by their population areas. Botanists aren't sure why the acorn tree can remain distinct ecologically with such a high gene flow level. The oak family, after much hybridization, is a steadily evolving group.
The wood from the oak is very strong and hard, and resists fungal and insect attack since it has a high content of tannin. It also shows grain markings that are very attractive, depending on how it is cut. Oak boards have been prized for the interiors of prestigious buildings, since the Middle Ages. Oak wood was once used for ship-building, especially military ships, until the nineteenth century.
The bark of the acorn tree can be dried and used in preparations for medical uses. It is full of tannin, and leather-workers use it to tan leather. You can use acorns to make acorn coffee and flour. Oak galls were once used in manuscript ink, as long as they were harvested at a certain time of year. Japanese oak is used by Yamaha Drums to make professional drums. Its hard and rough surface makes the drum play a louder and brighter tone than drums made with birch and maple
The acorn tree is plagued by a few diseases - the main one is called, simply, Oak Death. This is a mold that can kill trees within several weeks. Oak Wilt is caused by a fungus, related to Dutch Elm Disease, which can also kill affected trees. Other pests faced by the oaks include root rot and wood borers. The effects of these are often not apparent until a tree is felled, because there is often no outside evidence.
The acorn tree is a member of an impressive species of beautiful - and useful - hardwoods.