Also known as the English or pedunculate oak, the common oak thrives on valley clays and mature trees can survive flooding (even with sea water), often reaching a height of 30 to 40 metres. They can live to 1000 years or more and some veteran trees have trunks three metres across with a hollow core.
Most mature trees are either rotten or hollowed at the centre and the crown is often broken up by the zig-zag contortions of the branches. The leaves are deeply but irregularly lobed and have little or no stalk whereas acorns are attached to the twigs by a long stalk. When they open the leaves can vary significantly in colour from yellow to orange or brown. The leaves are very susceptible to wasp attack, which causes small round growths or galls the most commonly found gall is the so-called oak-apple. Bark is at first very smooth with a brownish tinge turning to silvery grey. Mature trees have small, dull grey plates separated by fine fissures with occasional burrs or sprouts.
You can see common oaks on our Llansteffan Nature walk. Take a look! More ...
Common Oak
