Quercus robur

English oak

Species Tolerances

  • Drought Tolerance: Medium
  • Shade Tolerance: Yes
  • Waterlogging Tolerance: Low
  • Frost Tolerance (trees from warmer climates may be frost tolerant, but their flowers may not be): Yes
  • RHS Hardiness: H6
  • Optimum Conditions for Growth:
    A large, long lived canopy tree. It grows in all types of soil where there are longer, warmer summers with lower rainfall as in lowland Britain, preferring heavier loam and neutral soil pH.
  • Susceptibility to Pest/Disease:
    May be susceptible to oak processionary moth, acute oak decline, and chronic oak decline

Pedunculate oak in Lustenau (Vorarlberg, Austria) at Staldenbach/ Asurnipal/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en

Service to Pollinators

  • Summary of Service to Pollinators:
    Wind pollinated, so flowers not significant to most pollinators, though honeydew is produced on a large a scale so many bees and other pollinators will feed on this when other nectar sources are scarce. Also provides resins/oils for honeybees to make propolis.
  • Nectar Value to Pollinators: 0 (of 0-3)
  • Honeydew Value to Pollinators: 3 (of 0-3)
  • Pollen Value to Bees: 0 (of 0-3)
  • Flowering Period: April-May

Risks

  • Human Toxicity: Non-toxic
  • Livestock Toxicity: Toxic
  • Invasive Risk: No
  • Suckering: No

Products

  • Edible Fruit: Yes
  • Edible Leaves: No
  • Edible Sap: No
  • Edible Seeds: Yes
  • Honey, major source in UK: No
  • For any medicinal potential, see 'Further Details' below.
  • Timber: Yes
  • Livestock Fodder: No
  • Other Products:
    The fruit/seeds are only edible if leached of tannins. Traditionally pigs have been allowed to forage in woodland for acorns, known as ‘pannage’, particularly in mast years.

Utility

  • Nitrogen Fixation: No
  • Organic Matter Accumulation: Yes
  • Phytoremediation: Insufficient Data
  • Deacidification: Insufficient Data
  • Windbreak: Yes
  • Soil Erosion Control: Yes
  • Shade or Shelter: Yes
  • Plant Support: Yes
  • Integrated Pest Management: Insufficient Data
  • Wildlife Value: Yes
  • Wildlife Value Summary:
    Very good for biodiversity referring to invertebrate diversity feeding on the tree, especially insects making use of the honeydew and resins and oils. Acorns are available to a large range of birds and mammals.
  • Graduated Nativeness Classification
    ⓘ
    1. Historic Native
    2. Historic Introduction
    9. Neutral Introduction
    : 1 (of 1-10)

Further Details

    Honeydew value is particularly high for all pollinators