Hungarian Oak
Encyclopedia
Quercus frainetto the Hungarian Oak or Italian Oak, is a species of oak
, native to southeastern Europe
(parts of Italy
, the Balkans
, parts of Hungary
, Romania
) and Turkey
; it is classified in Quercus sect. Mesobalanus.
tree
, reaching heights of 38 m and a trunk diameter of nearly 2 m. The leaves
are large, 14-25 cm long (occasionally up to 33 cm), variable in shape, divided into 6-10 very deep parallel lobes which are usually divided into sublobes. The leaf stalks are usually short, 2-6 mm (rarely to 22 mm) long. The leaves are widest close to the apex, which is broad and short pointed. The base of the leaf usually has auricles
which sometimes overlap the twig. The light yellow green expanding leaves turn rich dark green by the beginning of summer. The leaves are covered with minute russet hairs, especially the lower surface. The leaves are concentrated at the ends of twigs. The leaves turn brown, russet or yellow in fall and sometimes remain attached to the twigs until the following spring. The buds are large, long and pointed, shiny russet or light brown in colour with minute tomentum. The twigs are stout and covered with russet upward pointed hairs.
The light brown acorn
s mature in about 6 months. They are 15-35 mm long, egg shaped, usually with a blunt apex. The acorn cup is covered with long overlapping scales
and russet hairs. The acorns tend to concentrate in groups of two to eight at the ends of twigs.
The centre of the Quercus frainetto native range is in the Balkans
. It is adapted to the subcontinental climate of southeast Europe
but the main factor of its occurrence at a particular site is the soil. It is specially adapted to heavy acidic soils (cambisols
and vertisols), typical of Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania. These soils are usually leached out, very dry in the summer and sometimes waterlogged in the spring. However, the Hungarian Oak does not tolerate flooding or high water tables. It is also extremely sensitive to the presence of lime in the soil. Hence, opposite to its English name, the Hungarian Oak is a very rare tree in Hungary, where the soils are generally very rich in lime. The Hungarian Oak-Turkey Oak
forest (Quercetum frainetto-cerris Rud.) is the most widespread association of this oak in the Balkans, which is also the most common forest type in Serbia (see also Balkan mixed forests
).
for large garden
s.
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
, native to southeastern Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
(parts of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
, parts of Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
) and Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
; it is classified in Quercus sect. Mesobalanus.
Growth
Quercus frainetto is a large deciduousDeciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
, reaching heights of 38 m and a trunk diameter of nearly 2 m. The leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are large, 14-25 cm long (occasionally up to 33 cm), variable in shape, divided into 6-10 very deep parallel lobes which are usually divided into sublobes. The leaf stalks are usually short, 2-6 mm (rarely to 22 mm) long. The leaves are widest close to the apex, which is broad and short pointed. The base of the leaf usually has auricles
Auricle (botany)
In botany, an auricle is a small ear-like projection from the base of a leaf or petal....
which sometimes overlap the twig. The light yellow green expanding leaves turn rich dark green by the beginning of summer. The leaves are covered with minute russet hairs, especially the lower surface. The leaves are concentrated at the ends of twigs. The leaves turn brown, russet or yellow in fall and sometimes remain attached to the twigs until the following spring. The buds are large, long and pointed, shiny russet or light brown in colour with minute tomentum. The twigs are stout and covered with russet upward pointed hairs.
The light brown acorn
Acorn
The acorn, or oak nut, is the nut of the oaks and their close relatives . It usually contains a single seed , enclosed in a tough, leathery shell, and borne in a cup-shaped cupule. Acorns vary from 1–6 cm long and 0.8–4 cm broad...
s mature in about 6 months. They are 15-35 mm long, egg shaped, usually with a blunt apex. The acorn cup is covered with long overlapping scales
Trichome
Trichomes are fine outgrowths or appendages on plants and certain protists. These are of diverse structure and function. Examples are hairs, glandular hairs, scales, and papillae.- Algal trichomes :...
and russet hairs. The acorns tend to concentrate in groups of two to eight at the ends of twigs.
Characteristics
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
. It is adapted to the subcontinental climate of southeast Europe
Southeast Europe
Southeast Europe or Southeastern Europe is a relatively recent political designation for the states of the Balkans. Writers such as Maria Todorova and Vesna Goldsworthy have suggested the use of the term Southeastern Europe to replace the word Balkans for the region, to minimize potential...
but the main factor of its occurrence at a particular site is the soil. It is specially adapted to heavy acidic soils (cambisols
Cambisols
A Cambisol in the FAO World Reference Base for Soil Resources is a soil with a beginning of soil formation. The horizon differentiation is weak...
and vertisols), typical of Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania. These soils are usually leached out, very dry in the summer and sometimes waterlogged in the spring. However, the Hungarian Oak does not tolerate flooding or high water tables. It is also extremely sensitive to the presence of lime in the soil. Hence, opposite to its English name, the Hungarian Oak is a very rare tree in Hungary, where the soils are generally very rich in lime. The Hungarian Oak-Turkey Oak
Turkey Oak
Quercus cerris, the Turkey oak is an oak native to southern Europe and Asia Minor. It is the type species of Quercus sect. Cerris, a section of the genus characterised by shoot buds surrounded by soft bristles, bristle-tipped leaf lobes, and acorns that usually mature in 18...
forest (Quercetum frainetto-cerris Rud.) is the most widespread association of this oak in the Balkans, which is also the most common forest type in Serbia (see also Balkan mixed forests
Balkan mixed forests
The Balkan mixed forests constitute a terrestrial ecoregion of Europe according to both the WWF and Digital Map of European Ecological Regions by the European Environment Agency...
).
Cultivation
Quercus frainetto is an outstanding ornamental treeOrnamental plant
Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...
for large garden
Garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
s.