Estonian forest trees - the pendunculate (English) oak

The pendunculate (English) oak (Quercus robur) is a tree with a very long life, a broad crown, strong branches, and a stout trunk. The tallest oak in Estonia, nearly 37 m high, is growing in Audru Manor Park. The thickest oak (circumference: 8.7 m) and the oldest tree in Estonia is the 700-year-old Tamme-Lauri oak in Urvaste. The leaves, which are obovate and have blunt tips, remain on the tree for a long time. The oak is a late bloomer. Its fruit is an oval acorn, which is food for wild boars, squirrels, mice, birds, especially the Eurasian jay, who also spreads oak the most.

In Estonia, the pendunculate oak grows naturally mostly in the western and northern parts of the country in wooded meadows (especially in Saaremaa) and it is found scattered on fertile forest soils rich in humus. The pendunculate oak is drought-, storm-, and air-pollution-resistant, but sensitive to cold spring weather and demanding in terms of light and habitat.

The hard, wearproof, and beautifully textured tannin-rich wood of the oak is used in the furniture, parquet, plywood, and barrel industries. Known as the hiiepuu and the sacred tree, the pendunculate oak is a beloved park and home garden tree, associated with longevity, constancy, strength, and durability.