Tree 22

Quercus robur

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Quick Facts

Genus: Quercus

Species: robur

Common Names: English Oak

Mature Size: 25-35 meters

Height: 19 metres
Width: 15 metres
Diameter at Breast Height (DBH): 113cm

Age of Tree: Maturing, this tree has almost reached its expected size in this position.

Place of Origin: England and western Europe.

Plant Habit: Broad spreading tree, with single stout trunk originating at ground level.

Growth Habit: Slow, in our hot and dry summer conditions.

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Story

Burke & Wills are said to have distributed two English Oak acorns to every place they stayed during their journey though Victoria and southern NSW.

Some of these trees remain growing in ‘Clarkfield’ & ‘Overnewton’.

The somewhat romantic notion of intrepid explorers seeding their way across the countryside falls over here in Ballan as unfortunately Burke and Wills didn’t venture through the township.

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Horticultural Information

Preferred Conditions: Good Soil Moisture in summer

Soil Type: Prefers a neutral to slightly acid soil

Tolerances: Soil compaction, heavy pruning

Not tolerant of persistent over grazing by possums.

Deciduous tree

Useful Life Expectancy (ULE): Long lived in its home range, 500 years+; there are trees of more than 170 years of age in Victoria.

Significance: This is the most widely planted Oak species in south eastern Australia.

Flowering Characteristics: catkins in early spring, prior to leaves emerging

Features: Bark is dark grey in colour and hard, Fruit is an ‘acorn’, a true nut, that ripens every 12 months, with mast years every 2-3 years.

Foliage is a lobed leaf of varying sizes, autumn foliage is briefly yellow before leaf fall.

Points of Interest: The saying ‘Strong as an Oak’ is in relation to the wood of this tree. It is strong and very durable, once used extensively in boat building for the structure of large sailing ships; barrels and beams in houses.

The bark has also traditionally been used for tanning leather and wine barrels are also made of this versatile timber.

Additional Notes

One of 3 trees growing in a row north of Blow Court. The acorns were used by people as food in cooking, as well as feed for stock.

Wood is highly prized for furniture, building as beams in houses, ship building and barrels. Cream in colour, little change in heartwood, hard to work and often wood is not straight. Prone to tangential splitting and warping when wetted. 700kg per/m3 dry weight.

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