Oak  - Sessile (Quercus petraea) NATIVE

Sessile oak has a long leaf stem and is missing the 'earlobes' found on the leaves of pedunculate oak.

The Acorns are mostly in pairs, in a cup with a short stalk of 1-2cm

Sessile oak is not tolerant of flooding, though prefers more acid or poor soils.

Oak - Pedunculate (Quercus robur) - English Oak    NATIVE

Leaves usually appear before sessile oak, they have a short leaf stalk and 2 noticeable 'lobes' at the base of the leaf

The acorn stalk is significantly longer than sessile, usually about 10cm.

It is tolerant of climate extremes and prefers wetter ground conditions unlike sessile.

Common facts

Bark is smooth and brown or grey when young, becoming much darker as the tree gets older.

Oakwoods, unlike beech woods for example, allow a large amount of light to the woodland floor, which

provides good conditions for a range of wildflower and plant species to flourish.

As the tree matures, cracks and fissures in the bark develop, providing habitat for a huge number of insect species as

well as providing summer roosting habitat for bats. Jays in particular are fond of acorns.

Old oak, Glaisnock Estate, Cumnock Oak seedling