When we talk about oak trees, most people mean English oaks or sessile oaks. They grow most often in Germany. But lesser-known species are also represented in forests, parks and hobby gardens.
What types of oak trees are there in Germany?
In Germany, the most common types of oak are English oak, sessile oak, downy oak, swamp oak and oak. They differ in their growth, location and climate preferences, with English oaks and sessile oaks being the most common.
Some of the most famous oak species in Germany
- Pedunculate oak
- Sessile Oak
- Downy Oak
- Swamp oak or Spree oak
- Characters
Pedunculate oak
The English oak is also known as the summer oak. It is most common in German forests. Of all oak species, it reaches the greatest height and also the longest age.
This oak tree tolerates continental climates very well and therefore also grows in the Mediterranean region, Scandinavia and northern Russia. Even at an altitude of 1,000 meters, English oaks can still be planted.
Sessile Oak
The sessile oak is a winter oak. It is the second most common oak species in Central Europe after the English oak. Because of its long taproot it is extremely stormproof.
In botany, the sessile oak is considered a subspecies of the English oak, which differs primarily in its choice of location. It does not occur at high altitudes.
Downy Oak
The downy oak prefers a milder climate and therefore mainly grows where it is warm and dry.
It owes its name to its young branches, which have a light downy surface. At 25 meters, the downy oak remains smaller than the other representatives of its genus.
Swamp oak and oak tree
Swamp oaks originally come from North America, but are often planted in Germany.
The Ze oak was probably brought to Germany by the Romans. It prefers a warmer climate and is therefore mainly represented in southern Germany.
Red oak, holm oak and cork oak
Three well-known species of oak are the red oak, which occurs in North America, and the holm oak and cork oak, which come from the Mediterranean region.
The red oak is also popularly grown in German parks because of its red-colored foliage.
The cork oak is bred in the Mediterranean countries to produce cork.
Tips & Tricks
When a “Tree of the Year” was chosen for the first time in 1989, the choice fell on the English oak. It is also known as the “German oak”. How robust this oak tree is is shown by the fact that it continues to grow even after lightning strikes or splitting by storms.
