The oak is a majestic tree that is an icon of the British landscape. It has grey, gnobbly bark and massive, thick, gnarled branches that twist with age. The leaves each have between 5 and 7 pairs of lobes creating a typical 'wavy-edged' shape. The fruit of the oak tree is the acorn.
Oak trees are common in the deciduous woodland of the New Forest but are also found in hedgerows and planted in towns and villages.
The oak grows in a range of soil types. It lives for a very long time. In fact some trees can live for up to 500 years, whilst others are known to be around 700 to 1200 years old! The oldest oak tree in the Forest is thought to be the Knightwood Oak.
Producer: Like all green plants the oak tree gets its energy from sunlight through the process of photosynthesis.
The change from broadleaved woodland to coniferous woodland for timber production has affected the number and type of tree species found in the New Forest. In fact the communities of plants, animals and fungi that are associated with oak trees are often unique and of international significance. It is therefore important that we conserve this 'king of trees'.