An oak tree must welcome the winter outdoors. The tree cannot move, nor would a suitable room be found for its size. So how does he protect himself from the freezing cold? And is there anything we can do for him then?

Oaks are very frost hardy

The impotence of the cold

Oak trees are not at the mercy of the cold. It is not without reason that specimens of trees that have survived 1000 winters can also be found in this country.

Regardless of whether it is a native oak species or an immigrant from Asia, America and Co., an oak tree always comes into spring in good health. Only the root area of young, freshly planted oaks should be covered with a protective layer of leaves in autumn.

Naked encounter with the frost

The way we experience the oak tree in its summery green splendor is not how it will welcome winter. As early as autumn, she turns her leaves to golden brown and pushes them off when they have dried up. Green leaves would cause the tree to die of thirst in winter as moisture evaporates over them. The frozen ground does not give the tree's roots a chance to fully compensate for this loss.

tips

Leave the leaves alone. They form a warming layer in the root area and, after their decomposition, valuable ingredients for new growth.

Sessile oak retains its leaves

There is a species of oak that, in our latitudes, also wears its foliage in winter. The sessile oak, which comes from warmer regions of Asia, delays the separation.

  • she too has to change her leaves in autumn
  • but she does not push off her dried leaves for the time being
  • they stay on the branches all winter
  • the sessile oak is therefore referred to as a winter oak

The pedunculate oak that loses its leaves in autumn is appropriately called the summer oak.

Evergreen oaks are more delicate

Tree nurseries also offer evergreen oak species, most of which originate from warm Mediterranean regions. These oaks also tolerate frost, but their tolerance limit is around -15 degrees Celsius. They can only thrive in a sheltered location in a mild climate.

Acorns tolerate sub-zero temperatures

The seeds of the oaks, which are in the acorns, also survive frost well. If they are not collected and eaten by the squirrels and other animals, they often germinate under the tree in spring.

Category:

Trees