Description
Quercus robur – English Oak
Brief description: The English oak is the quintessential oak – one of the most significant native trees in Central Europe and a symbol of strength and longevity. With its wide-spreading, irregular crown, deeply furrowed bark, and characteristically lobed foliage, it has shaped the Central European cultural landscape for millennia. Ecologically, it is unsurpassed: over 1,000 animal and fungal species depend on oaks.
- Growth height up to 30 m
- Hardy
- Light-demanding species
- Strong taproot
Climatic properties & site conditions: The English oak is native to all of southern Germany and is extraordinarily adaptable – from the Rhine valley to altitudes of 700 m, on heavy floodplain soils as well as on sandy soils. It tolerates both periodic flooding and moderate drought. It thrives well on acidic soils in sandy areas; it increasingly suffers on heavily compacted urban soils. The oak processionary moth is a serious and growing problem in warmer locations.
Advantages: Native and ecologically unsurpassed, very long-lived, wide-spreading crown, adaptable to many soils, also suitable for damp sites, inexpensive.
Disadvantages: Very high space requirement, very slow growth, oak processionary moth increasingly problematic in warm locations, susceptible on extremely dry sites, not a woody plant for small gardens or structured landscaping.
