WILD WONDER

The English oak

The majestic English oak

WITH ITS TOWERING TRUNK and gently curving leaves, the mighty oak (Quercus robur) is arguably Britain’s most iconic tree. Unlike the apple, cedar or sycamore, it is indigenous to our shores, a symbol of strength and survival, with many standing sentinel amid changing landscapes for hundreds of years.

The UK is home to more ancient specimens of this remarkable species than the rest of Europe combined, with historians discovering 1,200 medieval and Tudor examples in the past four years alone. Believed to be one of the oldest, Bowthorpe Oak in Lincolnshire dates back more than 1,000 years – with a circumference of 12 metres and a hollow trunk that once played host to 20 dinner guests – while the 800-year-old Meavy Oak, on the outskirts of Dartmoor in Devon, is rumoured to have provided a hiding place for King Charles II as he fled Oliver Cromwell during the English Civil War.

As autumn takes hold – and its canopy turns from deep green to golden and then fiery orange – acorns loosen and fall to the ground below, creating a much-needed source of sustenance for a host of hungry animals. Although an oak must be at least 40 years old before it is able to bear fruit, once mature it can produce thousands of acorns, helping to support more life than any other native tree.

Find out more at woodlandtrust.org.uk.