The Mighty Oak.
When you think of trees, the first that may come to mind is an oak. Known as the King of the Trees, the oak is sturdy and strong, providing protection and food for many insects and woodland creatures. Let's explore this tree together and then see a magical scene that might take place in the Land of the Fae.
Facts.
Common name: Oak.
Scientific name: Quercus.
There are at least 600 species of trees and shrubs in the oak family.
Where do they grow?
Native to the northern hemisphere, they are found in the US, Europe, Asia, and North Africa. In the US, they are more often found in the Eastern and Central parts of the country due to the humid climate, but they also grow in the arid environment of the Western states. Oaks prefer temperate climates with moderate temperatures and plenty of sunshine.
Some oaks are considered evergreen because they never lose their leaves like deciduous oaks do. They lose and replace them during the year, so they look evergreen or “live”. The live oaks of the southern and eastern United States - Virginia to Florida and west to Texas and Oklahoma - are considered live because they constantly lose and regrow their leaves rather than shedding them in the fall like other species of oak.
What is their lifespan?
Oak trees can live a long time. White oaks can live up to 600 years, while the red oak is closer to 400. The average life span of an oak, though, is 100-150 years. They grow the fastest in the first 10-15 years and grow at 1-3 feet per year.
The oldest living oak in the Western United States is The Great Oak on the Pechanga Reservation in California. With a trunk over 20 feet in circumference and its branches spreading out over 100 feet, it would be a sight to behold.
Benefits & uses of the tree
All oaks produce acorns, which feed squirrels, bluejays, black bears, and wild turkeys, among others. Oak wood is strong and durable and is used to make
Firewood
Ships
Flooring
Barrels (oak barrels age alcohol)
Baskets
Furniture - tables and beds and cabinets
Garden ornamentation
A home for woodland animals and insects
Animals, insects that live in or from tree
Owls
Woodpeckers
Chickadees
Eastern bluebirds
Great Crested flycatchers
Tufted titmice
Squirrels: gray, fox, and flying
Virginia opossums
Eastern rat snakes
Bats
Beetles
Butterflies
Moths
Ants
Caterpillars
Other uses
Romans and Greeks used oak leaves to heal wounds, and the bark makes medicine. White oak bark makes tea to treat arthritis, diarrhea, colds, fever, cough, and bronchitis. It can also stimulate appetite and improve digestion. Native Americans used oak medicine on swollen limbs, tumors, and bleeding. Oak is sometimes used instead of quinine for fever reduction.*
Famous trees in literature or the world
In the classic novel, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, there is an oak tree outside Boo Radley's house where he leaves gifts for Scout and Jem. It symbolizes strength and friendship and forms a connection between the characters.
There is a tree called Major Oak in Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, England, that is rumored to be over 1,000 years old and where the legendary Robin Hood and his Merry Men used to hide out when the Sheriff of Nottingham was chasing them.
Symbolism of the tree
The oak symbolizes strength, endurance, power, and ancient wisdom. The oak provides protection from its widespread limbs, and its roots anchor deeply to Mother Earth, symbolizing groundedness and connectedness to the Earth.
Its message is to be ready to adapt and bend when your security is threatened.
Lore of the tree
All cultures have revered the oak tree. The Celts thought oaks were sacred because of their size, durability, and nourishment from acorns. The Druids found healing powers from oak trees.
Wicca, a nature-based, pagan belief system, believes that the Oak King rules spring and summer and the Holly King rules autumn and winter. The two kings fight for the rule of the Earth, and at Yule, winter solstice, the Oak King's reign begins until Litha, or summer solstice, when the Holly King defeats him and reigns again until Yule.
God/goddess associated with tree
Thor and Zeus
Tree worship
The Druids worshiped the oak as a sacred tree, and the early Gauls saw the oak tree as a symbol of their supreme God.
My favorite species of the tree
The Engelman Oak and the White Oak. I love them both. The Engelman because it looks like a place you could live in the forest and a way into Fairyland. The White Oak because it looks like a classic tree where you could hide away in the branches or sit under to read or nap and get lost for hours.
For an imaginative tale about the oak tree, support me on Patreon and click below.
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