Oak is officially the nation’s favourite tree but how much do you know about it? It is a symbol of endurance, after standing for thousands of years across the country. Here are some interesting facts about this most glorious tree:

Shocking!

Oak trees are much more likely to be struck by lightning than other trees. This could explain their great significance for ancient British Druids who believed inspiration, known as ‘Arwen’ came from lightning. Finding that knowledge is known as ‘courting the flash’.

Gall-point pen!

Some of the most historically important texts were written using ink from an oak tree, known as ‘gall’. Some of the historic documents containing writing in this ink include the sheet music of Mozart, Isaac Newton’s theories and the Magna Carta. Gall was used by the Romans across the empire and it was still in use until as late as the 1800s. If you’ve been inspired to integrate oak into your home, find out more about Oak Framed Garages at https://www.timberpride.co.uk/oak-garages/

Drugs

There has been a long-held belief that the seeds, leaves and even bark of oak can be used to cure lots of different health problems such as kidney stones, swelling and diarrhoea.

Hundreds of species

There isn’t one but about 600 different species of oak. In the UK, there are two native species that look alike, English Oak and Sessile. English oak is also called pedunculate oak because it produces seeds hanging from the stalks, while Sessile seeds do not have stalks.

Supporting wildlife

Oak forests offer an exceptionally rich habitat, support and help for more wildlife than any other of our native tree species.