Oak - description, types and characteristics for children

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Tree Oak

Oak is popularly called a century-old tree, apparently because oaks live up to 500 years, and some of their varieties even more than 1000 years. These trees from the beech family are very valuable.

Oak trees grow very slowly and annually increase their growth by only 1 cm, first in height and then in width. They can reach a height of up to 50 meters, and the majestic crown gives them a chic appearance. At the age of 50-60 years, trees bloom and bloom every spring, and in the fall they delight with fruits - acorns.

Acorns are food for some animals, as well as a medicine for many diseases. A coffee drink is made from acorns, which is useful for heart disease. No less useful is oak bark, which has many tannins and is used in both folk and official medicine. The leaves also help with many diseases and are also widely used in cooking, especially in pickling vegetables.

Oak is an energy donor. It is customary to hug centuries-old oak trees with your hands, thereby receiving a charge of positive energy. Walking through an oak grove can lower your blood pressure. And such a walk perfectly calms the nervous system, has a positive effect on the functioning of the heart, and calms the soul. But for chronically ill people, such a walk can be harmful.

In the national economy, oak is indispensable, especially its wood. It is very strong and is used for construction and furniture making. Oak piles are often used to construct underwater bridge foundations. When soaked, oak wood becomes like stone.

It is generally accepted that oak wood retains magical spells, which is why talismans and fortune telling boards are made from it. Many scientists prove that it is in oak groves that there are portals where you can go to other worlds and communicate with their representatives.

Oak is a very revered tree. His image was used in oral folk art, literature and art. Old-time oaks are protected by beautiful fences, there are even monument oaks. This emphasizes the people's love for this difficult tree.

What does oak look like?

Oak is a powerful tree with a mighty trunk. It immediately stands out from other plants with its voluminous, spreading crown. It reaches a height of 40 meters.

The most famous species is common or pedunculate oak.

How long does an oak tree live?

Usually the lifespan of a mighty tree is about 300 years;
some specimens reach a more noble age, measured in millennia.

In this case, growth in height usually stops after two hundred years of life. The width of the tree continues to slowly but constantly increase. The diameter can reach up to one and a half meters.

Oak bark is quite thick and durable, dark brown in color. It is covered with wrinkles and cracks.

A mighty tree cannot do without the color of the sun and is drawn to it. Because of this, the branches grow in different directions, acquiring bizarre shapes. The older the oak, the more bends, curves, curved lines.

Oak. Interesting Facts

On the leaves of the Oak tree you can see ruddy balls, like small apples , called galls or ink nuts. Galls on oak trees appear due to insects - Nutcracker. They lay an egg in the leaf tissue, and substances secreted by the larva cause the tissue to grow, resulting in the formation of a gall, and the larva receives a safe refuge.

The oak, defending itself from the parasite, deposits a very large amount of tannins

, which with iron sulfate form black paint, which was used in the
manufacture of ink , the same one that A.S. wrote with. Pushkin (!) and his contemporaries, by the way, are very persistent and durable.
Some Oaks live for more than a thousand years, reaching enormous sizes.

Leaves and acorns

Leaves appear along with flowers in early May.

By September you can see acorns on the branches:

They begin to set at the end of summer. First green, gradually turning yellow, forming until the end of November.
The sizes vary, reaching a length of 2 to 5 centimeters, smooth to the touch.
Each one has a cap called a pluska, which serves as protection for the fetus. By mid-autumn, their grip weakens and the acorns fall off.

On the ground, the fruits serve as food for forest inhabitants. Wild boars and bears love to eat them.

The shape of the tree's leaves depends on the variety.

They usually have an elongated shape and rounded teeth. This is how they are often depicted in pictures describing oak trees.

They appear on curved branches only in June. They don't always succeed the first time. Often young foliage is destroyed by caterpillars.

Message about Oak

We have prepared several messages about oak. Find out more information about this strong and powerful tree, as well as what its varieties are. Use our material to write your report on the world around us.

Message 1

Oak grows almost all over the planet and is not widespread except in Australia and the northern regions of the Earth. This tree is strong and durable, but does not tolerate the harsh conditions of the north, and therefore does not grow in Siberian forests. However, there are quite a lot of oak trees in Russia (as well as in America and Africa, Asia and Europe).

Since ancient times, some peoples have worshiped and revered these trees as symbols of power and strength. In total there are about 450 varieties of wood.

Quite common and often used in construction is pedunculate oak, which grows well in a wide variety of soils and is distinguished by its durable wood. Better and more valuable than it for construction and similar work is only bog oak, which appears from trees that have lain for a long period at the bottom of reservoirs, most often in rivers. Such trees are highly durable and are used to create furniture and various exclusive items, although they can also be used in construction.

Oak seeds are acorns that appear in the fall and are still used as a feed option for various farm animals, particularly pigs. By the way, earlier people used acorns for food and made bread from them.

In addition, acorns serve as food for wild animals from wild boars and deer to various birds.

Oak wood is still used in a variety of applications, from creating firewood, which provides excellent and rich heat, to building houses. Particularly noteworthy is the use of oak wood to form the frame of wells, since oak has increased resistance to rotting.

Oak bark has been used in folk medicine for a long time, and even now has its active use in various medicinal recipes. Oak bark is dried and various decoctions and infusions are prepared. The range of applications of these drugs is huge.

The life cycle of an oak tree can be up to two thousand years, although it is quite difficult to preserve trees of this age in the wild. This fact is partly due to the value of the wood of large trees for construction. Therefore, today, aged oaks are protected by the state, for example, near Moscow there are those that grow up to 800 years old for this period. Oak trees are part of the planet's biodiversity and provide many benefits to people and the rest of the Earth's ecosystem.

Message 2

Oak is a deciduous tree loved by many. All because of its beauty, benefits and power. In Russia, this is a fairly common plant, found everywhere, and belongs to the Beech family. It is found on the coats of arms of several Russian and world cities and provinces.

On average, the age of oak is 400 years, but there is evidence that it can live up to 1500 years. Until about 150 years old, the tree grows in height, and then, until the end of its life, in width. Its height reaches 50 meters, girth – 2 meters. In forests, oak is found mixed with other trees, but there are also entire oak groves. Mushrooms grow under it, which are called mushrooms.

There are about 20 species of oak growing in Europe. In general, scientists identify up to 600 plant species around the world. The most common European ones:

• petiolate, • jagged, • rocky, • corky.

Oak wood is valued by builders because of its strength, density and heaviness. Solid wood products are very expensive. The tree also uses:

• Bark. • Fruits. • Leaves.

Oak bark contains tannins. Used for tanning leather. The bark is used as medicine. A decoction of it is used as an anti-inflammatory agent and for rinsing the mouth. Craftsmen use a decoction to obtain the “ebony” shade.

Acorns, the fruits of the oak tree, are useful to both people and animals. Acorns are a favorite delicacy of wild boars. People make a coffee drink from the tree nuts. To do this, acorns are dried, fried and ground into powder. The fruits are used in decorative arts: crafts, decorations.

The leaves of the housewife's plant are used for canning. Also used in folk medicine for the treatment of wounds, varicose veins, heartburn, and ulcers. To do this, oak leaves are collected before mid-May and used as tea. There are several signs associated with oak. A large number of acorns means a cold, harsh winter. You cannot sow wheat before the oak leaves.

The tree is described in their works by many famous authors: A. Pushkin and his “green oak” near Lukomorye, I. Shishkin with his paintings “Oaks”, “Oak Grove”. Oak is the main character of many Russian folk tales. This is such a unique and interesting plant.

Message 3

Oak is popularly called a century-old tree, apparently because oaks live up to 500 years, and some of their varieties even more than 1000 years. These trees from the beech family are very valuable.

Oak is a symbol of strength, courage, fire, longevity. Legends were made about him; wreaths of oak leaves adorned the heads of the winners of the Olympic Games, as well as strong and courageous people, and wreaths of oak branches were also a symbol of fertility. And in ancient Rus' this tree was dedicated to God Perun, because the oak tree could withstand any lightning strike. Military councils, important meetings and even trials took place under it. It is generally accepted that oak wood retains magical spells, which is why talismans and fortune telling boards are made from it. Many scientists prove that it is in oak groves that there are portals where you can go to other worlds and communicate with their representatives.

Message 4

Oak is considered one of the strongest and most powerful trees. Oak grows slowly and for a long time, but can grow up to 50 m in height. The tree is a long-liver, growing without stopping for up to 5 centuries; there are oaks whose age reaches 1000 years.

Appearance

The height of an oak tree on average reaches 35 m, and the diameter of the trunk at the ground is 1.5 m, but there are also more impressive trees. Oak bark is hard and riddled with cracks. The leaves of the tree have their own shape depending on the type. The branches of the tree stretch towards the sun, so they are not straight, but bent towards the sky.

Depending on the conditions in which the tree grows, the root system changes. In general, oak has a very developed root system; the roots tend deep into the ground, to sources of water and useful substances.

Oak blossom

The oak tree has male and female flowers that bloom in late spring. The flowers are small and almost invisible among the dense foliage. Male flowers are stamens that are collected in bouquets. The female ones represent the pistil from which acorns will later grow.

• Species • Weeping • Swamp • Petiolate • Rocky • Chestnut-leaved • Georgian • Mongolian • Long-legged

Oak can be found almost throughout the Northern Hemisphere, in temperate regions. Depending on the species, oak can grow both in soil with a lack of moisture and in swamps.

Interesting Facts

• The oak begins to bear fruit when it reaches the age of 30 years. • There are about 500 species of oak in the world. • Mushrooms – truffles – are often found under the crown of oak trees. • Coffee is made from acorns. • Oak cannot be found in the taiga. • Acorns are very popular among the inhabitants of gardens and forests, so fallen acorns rarely grow into a new tree. • Oak is used to make high-quality and safe tableware. • Oak bark is used to make bottle caps. • In France there is an oak tree that is about 2000 years old. There is a room for tourists in the hollow of the tree. • The image of an oak tree can be seen on many coats of arms. • Destroying an oak tree is considered blasphemy.

Oak is a powerful tree that personifies strength and wisdom. Since ancient times, people have protected oaks, although many trees are grown for production needs.

Message 5

Oak is a large, strong tree with a lush crown and a thick trunk. Oak is considered to be a sign of heroism, radiance, and lightning. For many nationalities, this tree has long been considered a sign of spirit and glory, stability and devotion. The people treat him with respect.

There are many types of oak on earth. In Russia, common oak is widespread. It will grow in Europe and the European part of Russia, as well as in Asia and Africa. Along the banks of rivers far in the steppe you can find single oak trees. Oak does not grow in Siberia and cannot tolerate harsh conditions.

Oak trees grow very slowly. Sometimes they live up to 2000 years, but most often they live 500 years. Oak trees stop growing in height at the age of 100-200 years. Green oak leaves have an elongated shape with uneven outlines. They bloom by early June. The oak blossoms somewhere in early June. The oak root system is very well developed. The roots go deep into the ground. Therefore, it has high vitality. Oak bark is dense, hard, covered with wrinkles in an adult tree, and has a dark brown color. Oak is a heat-loving plant and resistant to frost.

In autumn, acorns ripen on the oak tree. They are usually elongated, growing from 1.5 to 5 cm. In summer, acorns turn green, in autumn they turn brown and fall off. It’s very pleasant to hold acorns in your hands; they seem smooth and a little pot-bellied, which is why children love to collect them. They also have an interesting hat. You can make beautiful crafts from them. Acorns have a bitter taste and contain a lot of starch. They like to feed acorns to pigs. Mainly for animals and birds, acorns can be an excellent food.

Oak has dense wood and is therefore very valuable. It is used for the production of ships and houses. Various gifts, furniture are made from it, floors and log houses are built. The wood is very hard and retains moisture. Oak firewood is an excellent fuel, so it produces a lot of heat.

Oak bark is of great importance. It contains protein, sugar and tannins. The bark is harvested when the forest is cut down. The bark is collected from young trunks and shoots. She is very helpful. Used as an anti-inflammatory, wound healing agent. The bark has a strongly astringent taste. Oak brooms for baths are very valuable.

Message 6

Oak is the most powerful and strongest tree in the whole world. It represents the symbol of courage, fire and lightning. It was under the oak trees that various events took place among the Slavs. In addition, in some places there are oak groves, which are fenced off with a fence and no one except the priests can go there.

In prehistoric times, there were a huge number of oak trees around the world. Man gradually cut down this tree. To begin with, he chopped and then burned wood to keep warm. Gradually, large areas remained empty and were sown with various crops. And a little later, this tree was cut down in order to create a huge number of buildings and structures from it.

There are a huge number of different types and names of this tree in the world. But in Russia it has only one name: English Oak.

Usually everyone knows him not only in Russia, but also in Europe and Finland. Probably, if you see an oak tree for the first time, you will immediately understand that this is really it. And all because he has a powerful body. The height of the oak tree is from twenty to forty centimeters. It usually lives up to two thousand years, but may live only three or four hundred years. It stops growing after 100 years. But it can grow in thickness almost throughout its life.

The leaves of this tree bloom only at the beginning of June. Or maybe release them again if the caterpillars ate the first ones. In addition, the oak tree contains acorns. Their height is up to one and a half centimeters. In summer, acorns are green. But in the autumn they begin to turn yellow, and then completely fall off. If you touch them in your hands, they are smooth and neat. If you split them, there are two small and yellow slices. They taste bitter.

Acorns are usually eaten by pigs and wild boars. The most important and useful thing on this tree is the bark. If you make a decoction from it, you can cure a huge number of different diseases.

Spreading

Oak is common in the Northern Hemisphere

, which is explained by comfortable weather conditions.

The powerful tree was respected in European countries and considered sacred. Meetings were held under the oak trees and rituals were held.

However, most of the oak forests have been wiped off the face of the earth. People needed areas for arable land and the expansion of villages and cities. Now oaks occupy no more than 5 percent of the entire forest belt in Europe.

Where does Oak grow?

Oak is widespread in Western Europe and the European part of Russia. It reaches northwestern Russia as far as Finland. In the eastern direction, the northern limit of the Oak's distribution gradually descends to the south, and, approaching the Ural ridge, drops to 57° and somewhat to the south. The Urals are the eastern border of the English oak range.

Climate and soil

Oak prefers temperate climates.

Sometimes the mighty tree grows in the tropics, choosing high mountain areas and avoiding too high temperatures.

Soil fertility is important for oak

, from which it absorbs the necessary nutrients through a well-developed root system. Although oak grows in moderately humid conditions, some species survive in swamps surrounding forests and dry areas.

Oak symbols

Oak is a mighty strong tree, a symbol of courage, fire, lightning and princely power. Oak is one of the most beloved and revered trees among European peoples. All the most important events took place among the Slavs under the sacred Oaks - meetings, wedding ceremonies, courts. In the sacred Oak groves, the oldest and most respected trees were surrounded by a fence, beyond which only priests could enter.

In prehistoric times, almost half of Europe's forests were oak forests. The man famously dealt with this wonderful tree. First, he cut down and burned the Oak , freeing up the land for arable land, and then chopped it down for firewood and building materials. Oak, unfortunately, was excellent for both. The result is sad - there are tens of times fewer oak trees (about 3% of all European forests).

Useful composition of oak wood and fruits

Wood is durable. After drying, its qualities do not change. With proper care, it lasts for about a century, does not dry out or crack.

When it stays in water for a long time, it does not deteriorate, does not rot, but turns black. Such wood is known as moraine. It is harder, but soaking makes it more brittle.

The fruits are famous for their high content of tannins and beta-carotene. In addition, they contain essential oils and starch.

Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale "The Last Dream of the Old Oak." Christmas tale

A fairy tale about life - more likely for adults than for children... More precisely, not only for children...

In the forest, high on a steep slope, on the open seashore, there stood an old, old oak tree, and it was exactly three hundred and sixty-five years old - a considerable period of time, but for a tree it’s the same as for us people, the same number of days. We are awake during the day, sleep and dream at night. With a tree the situation is different: the tree is awake for three seasons and falls asleep only in winter. Winter is his time of sleep, his night after a long day - spring, summer and autumn.
On warm summer days, mayflies danced around its crown; they lived, fluttered and were happy, and when one of these tiny creatures in quiet bliss fell to rest on a large fresh leaf, the oak tree said every time:
- Poor thing! Your whole life is just one day! So short... How sad!
- Sadly? - answered the mayfly. - What are you talking about? It’s so light, warm and wonderful all around! I am so glad!
- But just one day - and it’s over!
- End? - said the mayfly. - What's the end? And you too?
- No, maybe I’ll live thousands of your days, my day lasts entire seasons! You can’t even count how long it is!
- No, I don’t understand you! You have thousands of my days, and I have thousands of moments, and in each there is joy and happiness! Well, will all the beauty of the world die with your death?
“No,” answered the oak tree. - The world will exist much longer, endlessly, I can’t even imagine how long!
- So, that means you and I have been given equal amounts, we just count differently!
And the mayfly danced and whirled in the air, rejoicing in its delicate, graceful, transparent velvety wings, rejoicing in the warm air, filled with the smell of clover, rosehip, elderberry and honeysuckle. And how woodruff, primrose and mint smelled! The air was so fragrant that it was time to get drunk from it. What a long and wonderful day it was, full of joy and sweet sensations! And when the sun set, the fly felt such a pleasant tiredness, its wings refused to carry it, it quietly sank onto a soft swaying blade of grass, drooped its head and fell asleep sweetly. It was death.
- Poor things! - said the oak tree. - Their life is too short!
And every summer day the same dance was repeated, the same conversation, answer and falling asleep; This was repeated with entire generations of mayflies, and they were all equally cheerful, equally happy.
The oak was awake in its morning - spring, its noon - summer and its evening - autumn, it was time for him to fall asleep, and his night - winter was approaching.
Then the storms sang: “Good night! Good night! Here a leaf fell, there a leaf fell! We cut them off, we cut them off! Try to sleep! We will lull you to sleep, we will rock you to sleep! Isn't it true how good your old branches are? They are so aching with pleasure! Sleep sweetly, sleep sweetly! This is your three hundred and sixty-fifth night, because you are still like a one-year-old baby! Sweet dreams! The clouds are pouring snow, it will lie like a sheet, a soft blanket around your feet! Sleep sweetly, have pleasant dreams!”
And the oak threw off its leaves, getting ready to rest, preparing to fall asleep, spend the whole long winter in dreams, see in dreams pictures of what they had experienced, as people see them in dreams.
He, too, was once small, and an acorn was his cradle. By human reckoning he was now in his forties. There was no bigger, more magnificent tree in the forest than it. Its top rose high above all the trees and was visible from the sea from afar, serving as a sign for sailors. And the oak tree did not even know how many eyes were looking for it. Wood pigeons nested in its green crown, the cuckoo crowed, and in the fall, when its leaves seemed forged from copper, migratory birds sat on its branches to rest before setting off across the sea. But now, in winter, the oak tree stood without leaves, and one could see how curved and knotty its branches were; crows and jackdaws took turns sitting on them and talking about how difficult the time had come, how difficult it would be to get food in the winter.
On the night before Christmas, the oak tree had the most wonderful dream of its life. Let's listen!
He seemed to feel that the time had come for a holiday, he heard the ringing of bells around him, and dreamed of a warm, quiet summer day. He spread his mighty green crown wide; the sun's rays played between its branches and leaves, the air was filled with the aroma of herbs and bushes; colorful butterflies chased each other; the mayflies danced, as if everything existed only for their dancing and fun. Everything that the oak tree experienced and saw around itself from year to year now passed in front of it as if in a festive procession. He saw mounted knights and ladies of times past, with feathers on their hats and falcons on their arms. They drove through the forest, a hunting horn blew, dogs barked. He saw enemy soldiers in shiny armor and colorful clothes, with pikes and halberds; they pitched tents and then took them down. Campfires were blazing, people were singing and sleeping under the wide-spread branches of the oak tree. He saw happy lovers meeting here in the moonlight and carving the first letter of their names on its isser-green bark. Cheerful wandering apprentices used to hang zithers and Aeolian harps on its branches, and now they hung again and sounded so inviting again. Wood pigeons cooed, as if they wanted to tell how the tree felt, and the cuckoo crowed how many summer days it still had left to live.
And now, as if a new stream of life flowed in him from the smallest roots to the highest branches and leaves. And it seemed to him that he was stretching, he felt life and warmth in the roots there, underground, he felt his strength coming. It grew higher and higher, the trunk quickly, non-stop stretched upward, the crown became thicker, more magnificent, more spreading. And the more the tree grew, the more the joyful thirst grew in it to grow even higher, to rise to the very sun, sparkling and hot.
The top of the oak tree had already risen above the clouds, which were rushing below like flocks of migratory birds or white swans.
The oak tree saw with every leaf, as if everyone had eyes. He saw the stars in the middle of the day, and they were so big and shiny! Each one shone like a pair of clear, gentle eyes, reminiscent of other familiar eyes - the eyes of children and lovers who met under his crown.
The oak experienced wonderful, blissful moments. And yet he missed his forest friends... He so wanted all the other trees, all the bushes, herbs and flowers to rise with him, to feel the same joy, to see the same shine as he did. The mighty oak tree, even in these moments of blissful sleep, was not completely happy: it wanted to share its happiness with everyone - both small and large, and this feeling trembled in every branch, every leaf passionately and ardently, as if in a human breast.
The crown of the oak tree moved as if it was looking for something, as if it was missing something; he looked down and suddenly heard the smell of woodruff, and then an even stronger smell of honeysuckle and violets, and it even seemed to him that he heard a cuckoo.
And then the green tops of the forest peeked through the clouds. The oak saw other trees beneath it, they also grew and stretched upward; bushes and grass too. Some even uprooted themselves from the ground in order to fly faster. In front of everyone was a birch tree; like white lightning, its slender trunk rushed upward, its branches fluttered like green blankets and banners. All the forest plants, even the brown plumes of the reeds, rose to the clouds; birds flew after them with songs, and on a blade of grass, rippling in the wind like a long green ribbon, a grasshopper sat and played with its wing on its thin leg. May beetles hummed, bees buzzed, birds sang at the top of their lungs; everything in the sky sang and rejoiced.
“Where is the red water flower? Let him be with us too! - said the oak tree. “And a blue bell and a little daisy!”
Oak wanted to see everyone near him.
“We are here, we are here!” - was heard from all sides.
“What about last year’s beautiful woodruff? And the carpet of lilies of the valley that was spread here a year ago? And what about the wonderful wild apple tree and all those who decorated the forest for many, many years? If they had lived to see this moment, they would have been with us!”
“We are here, we are here!” - was heard in the heights, as if those who answered had flown right above him.
“No, how good it is, I just can’t believe it! - the old oak tree rejoiced. - They are all here with me, both small and large! Not one is forgotten! Is such happiness possible?
"Everything is possible!" - came the answer.
And the old oak tree, which had not stopped growing, suddenly felt that it was completely separated from the ground.
“Nothing could be better! - he said. - Now no bonds hold me back! I can fly to the very source of light and shine! And all my dear friends are with me! Both small and large - everything!”
"All!"
This is what the old oak dreamed about. And while he was dreaming, a terrible storm raged over the land and sea - it was on Christmas night. The sea rolled heavy waves onto the shore, the oak tree creaked and crackled and was uprooted at the very moment when he dreamed that he was being separated from the earth. The oak tree collapsed... Three hundred and sixty-five years of his life were now like one day for a mayfly.
On Christmas morning, as the sun rose, the storm subsided. Bells rang festively, blue smoke curled from all the chimneys, even from the chimney of the poorest hut, like sacrificial incense on the Druid holiday. The sea became more and more calm, and on the large ship, which had withstood the overnight storm, elegant Christmas flags were raised.
- But the tree is no longer there! The night storm crushed the old oak tree, our landmark on the shore! - said the sailors. - Who will replace him for us? Nobody!
This is the funeral speech, short, but spoken from the heart, that the sailors honored the old oak tree, which had been thrown into the snow by a storm. An ancient song sung by the sailors also reached the oak tree. They sang about Christmas, and the sounds of the song rose high, high to the sky, just as the old oak rose to it in its last dream.

Where is wood used?

Hardness and high service life allow the wood to be used in shipbuilding and the mining industry. It has a high density, which is important for construction and finishing work.

Wood is used to create furniture, toys, and parquet. It can be tinted to give it a new shade. But it has its own rich palette, found in both light beige and dark brown shades.

The beneficial composition of the fruits has made them one of the ingredients for the preparation of medicines.

Diseases and pests of Oak

One of the most dangerous diseases of Oak is powdery mildew . A characteristic white coating appears on the leaves, as if they had been doused with soapy water. The disease, noticed in an early stage, is easily stopped by spraying with a one percent solution of copper sulfate .

Leaf-gnawing insects and stem pests such as the large Oak Longhorned Beetle, the Green Oak Leaf Roller, and the Fruit Cap Moth are dangerous for Oak.

Use in construction

Due to the fact that wood does not rot in water, it is used to build structures that are sunk to the bottom of seas and rivers, and to create ships.

The older the tree, the more rings there are on its trunk. Such oak, distinguished by its considerable age, is especially valuable in structure. Souvenirs are also made from softer, and therefore young, trees. Over time, strength increases.

Building materials are made from oak wood due to its low susceptibility to combustion. It is considered fire resistant.

There is a version that the oak owes its name to the ancient Greek word, which translates as “to build.” After all, the quality of wood was assessed many centuries ago.

Plants

P.54

Let's discuss it together

Question: Let's look at the drawings and photos, read the captions. Let's make a diagram of plant habitats. Is it true that plants are found everywhere on Earth and live in different conditions?

Answer: biologists divide all the vegetation on the planet into natural zones; we will draw up a diagram of the habitats of the plants shown in the photos and drawings based on natural zones.

The conclusion that plants live everywhere is correct because... plants adapt to life in different habitats, from aquatic environments to high mountains.

Question: using reference literature, each group supplements the information about the plant given in the hint on p. 55:

1. Plantain grows everywhere - in meadows, forests, along roads and fences...

Answer - addition: Plantain is a medicinal plant, it has a hemostatic effect, accelerates tissue regeneration processes, promoting rapid wound healing, relieves inflammation and destroys pathogenic microflora (anti-inflammatory and bactericidal effect).

2. Siberian larch lives more than 200 years. Larch wood is very durable, not afraid of moisture, and is often used in construction .

Answer-addition: construction and equipment of piers, swimming pools, loggias and balconies, shower rooms, wall panels and furniture, shipbuilding, production of musical instruments, production of parquet, laminated veneer lumber, sleepers in the construction of railway tracks, power poles.

3. Oak, it turns out, is a grain plant. During excavations in Ukraine, acorns ground into flour were found. Bread was baked from this flour more than 5 thousand years ago.

Answer-addition - from chopped fried acorns you can brew a drink equivalent to coffee or jelly. And acorn flour is prepared as follows:

Cut the peeled acorns into 4-5 pieces and add water. Soak for two days, changing the water 3 times a day. Then fill the acorns with double the volume of clean water and put on fire. At the first signs of boiling, drain the water and pass the acorns through a meat grinder. Spread the resulting mass in a thin layer to dry in air and then in the oven. Grind the dried mass in a coffee mill.

When you set the mill to coarse grinding, you get cereal for porridge, and when you set it to a finer setting, you get flour for flatbreads.

4. Dodder is a parasitic plant. It wraps itself around another plant and, using special suction cups, feeds on its juice.

Answer-addition: The dodder plant is rootless, feeds and attaches to the host plant with the help of suckers - haustoria, formed in places of contact with the feeding plant and deeply embedded in its tissue. The suction of nutrients occurs due to the higher osmotic pressure of the parasite's cell sap. By sucking out water with organic and inorganic compounds dissolved in it, dodders cause metabolic disorders in host plants, weaken and retard their growth and development. Growing rapidly, the parasite covers entire areas of susceptible crops, often causing the death of affected plants. Not only the yield decreases, but also the winter hardiness of plants, and the quality of products deteriorates. Grasses mown for hay that are infected with dodder dry poorly, become moldy, lose nutritional value, and can cause animal diseases and sometimes even death. Dodder also serves as a carrier of viral plant diseases.

Industrial Applications

Oak is used in the furniture industry. High strength and durability make it almost indispensable in this area.

In the wine industry, it is used to make barrels in which wine languishes. They are also used to make corks, thanks to which sparkling drinks do not go out of breath.

Acorns of some oak species are used in the food industry. The fruits of trees growing in Italy have a sweet taste. Acorns, common in Russia, are used to make a powder that serves as a coffee substitute.

Application of Oak

A decoction of Oak bark and leaves (1:10) is taken for kidney diseases, kidney bleeding, bloody urine, frequent urination (in small doses), and inflammation of the urinary tract.

An infusion of Oak leaves is used for bedwetting (enuresis). Decoctions are also used for rinsing for inflammation of the oral mucosa, bad breath, inflammation of the tongue, for lotions for bedsores, frostbite of the hands and feet (baths), burns, wounds, skin inflammation, eczema, scrofula.

For sweaty feet, make baths from a decoction of the bark (2 tablespoons per 1 glass of water, boil for 1-2 minutes, leave until cool), and also pour crushed bark into socks for the day.

Coffee from Oak acorns: the acorns must be peeled, boiled, drained immediately, then coarsely chopped into pieces and fried until browned. Let cool and grind in a coffee grinder into powder. Brew like coffee, or can be used as a dietary supplement. This drink is given to children with diseases of the cardiovascular and nervous systems.

Use in medicine

The beneficial properties of the tree's fruits are used in medicine:

tannins kill bacteria and help improve stomach function;

Beta-carotene helps with heart disease and removes toxins that pollute the body.

Oak bark relieves inflammation. A decoction is prepared from it, which is useful to drink for diseases of the throat and mucous membranes, including the stomach. The bark is collected in the spring from young oak trees. Then it is dried for several days until it becomes brittle.

The story about the beneficial properties does not end there. The leaves have a calming effect and help get rid of worms. An infusion of them will cure frostbite and eliminate burns.

The healing properties of Oak

Oak bark is of great medical importance , as it contains a significant amount (up to 20%) of tannins, as well as flavonoids, pectin, tannin, starch, mucus and other natural antiseptics. A decoction of the bark, due to its tanning properties, has a strong astringent and anti-inflammatory effect.

Oak bark is most valued and used in medicine . It is used mainly as an external remedy, sometimes internally, in the form of infusions, decoctions, and tea.

Oak bark and leaves have astringent, anti-inflammatory, anthelmintic, soothing, and hemostatic effects.

Oak bark infusion is taken for stomach diseases, diarrhea, gastritis, colic, intestinal inflammation, colitis, ulcerative colitis, gastrointestinal bleeding, liver disease, spleen. Warm infusion improves digestion.

Structure and composition of the acorn

The description of the oak fruit is very simple. It is a single-seeded dry syncarpous nut with a leathery and hard pericarp. In all types of oaks it is attached to the metatarsus, which looks like a cap, but consists of fused bracts and reduced inflorescences. All oaks have only one nut attached to the metatarsus.

Acorns

All acorns have an oblong, round shape. The average length of the fruit without metatarsus is 3.5 cm. The width of the acorns ranges from 1 to 1.5 cm.

The acorn is a late fruit. Its growth and maturation occurs at the beginning of August and continues until the end of September. In October and November, the acorns finally ripen and fall.

Typically, acorns do not need winter rest, but germinate in the same autumn. In this state they spend the winter under the snow. This allows the seedling to grow very quickly in early spring. By autumn, a full-fledged oak tree with roots and shoots more than a meter long is formed.

It is not for nothing that the acorn is considered the forest breadwinner. Its calorie content is 387 kcal. Oak nut contains:

carbohydrates - 40.8%;
fats - 23.9%;
proteins - 6.2%.

Present:

vitamins: A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, C, D, E, K;
microelements: potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus;
macroelements: iron, copper, zinc, manganese.

Fresh acorns taste a little bitter. This is due to the presence of quercetin, a flavonol that has antioxidant properties. It is thanks to quercetin that acorns are used in the fight against sclerosis, and also as an antitumor, antiallergic and regenerating agent.

Acorn lover - squirrel

Acorns have great nutritional value. It is not surprising that oak forests are usually full of wild boars, bears, squirrels and other hazelnut lovers. And in the cedar-deciduous forests of the Far East, two breadwinners - cedar and oak - contain sables, two species of bears, wild boars, squirrels, chipmunks, and badgers. If you trace the trophic chain, it turns out that oak and cedar feed tigers, wolves, raccoon dogs, etc.