Quercus ithaburensis macrolepis

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Quercus ithaburensis
Light:Full Sun Part Shade
Moisture:Xeric Mesic
Hardiness:7
Soil pH:5.6-8.4
Height:49'
Width:43'
Open Woods Forest
Native to:
Edible Rating:PFAF Edibility RatingPFAF Edibility RatingPFAF Edibility RatingPFAF Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating:PFAF Medicinal RatingPFAF Medicinal RatingPFAF Medicinal RatingPFAF Medicinal Rating
Tea:Yes
Poisonous

Quercus ithaburensis macrolepis (common name: valonia oak)

Propagation: Seed - it quickly loses viability if it is allowed to dry out. It can be stored moist and cool overwinter but is best sown as soon as it is ripe in an outdoor seed bed, though it must be protected from mice, squirrels etc. Small quantities of seed can be sown in deep pots in a cold frame. Plants produce a deep taproot and need to be planted out into their permanent positions as soon as possible, in fact seed sown in situ will produce the best trees[1]. Trees should not be left in a nursery bed for more than 2 growing seasons without being moved or they will transplant very badly.

Cultivation: Prefers a good deep fertile loam which can be on the stiff side[2][1]. Lime tolerant[3]. Young plants tolerate reasonable levels of side shade[4]. Tolerates moderate exposure, surviving well but being somewhat stunted[4].

Prefers warmer summers than are usually experienced in Britain, but trees usually grow well in Britain[4]. The seed takes two years to ripen but is seldom produced in this country[1].

Hybridizes freely with other members of the genus[4].

This species is notably resistant to honey fungus[5][4].

Intolerant of root disturbance, trees should be planted in their permanent positions whilst young[1].

Range: S.E. Europe to W. Asia.

Habitat: Open forests in the hills or as solitary trees[6][7], usually in dry soils[8].

Edibility: Seed - raw or cooked[9][10][7][8]. The seed is quite big, about 4cm x 3cm[4] and is very low in tannin[11]. Any bitter seeds can be leached by thoroughly washing the seed in running water though many minerals will also be lost. Either the whole seed can be used or the seed can be dried and ground it into a powder. It can take several days or even weeks to properly leach whole seeds, one method was to wrap them in a cloth bag and place them in a stream. Leaching the powder is quicker. A simple taste test can tell when the tannin has been leached. The traditional method of preparing the seed was to bury it in boggy ground overwinter. The germinating seed was dug up in the spring when it would have lost most of its astringency.

Roasted seed is a coffee substitute.

A manna is obtained from the tree[11]. No further details.

Medicinal: Any galls produced on the tree are strongly astringent and can be used in the treatment of haemorrhages, chronic diarrhoea, dysentery etc[12].

Usage: A mulch of the leaves repels slugs, grubs etc, though fresh leaves should not be used as these can inhibit plant growth[13].

The acorn cups contain about 45% tannin[14][15]. A black dye can be obtained from them[7] and it can be used as an ink[8].

Gall-like excretions on the plant are caused by damage from the insect Cynips calicis. These growths contain about 30% tannin[15].

Pollinators: Wind

Soil: Can grow in medium and heavy soils.

Wind: Tolerates strong winds

Flower Type: Monoecious

Also Known As: Q. aegilops macrolepis. Q. graeca. Q. macrolepis. Kotschy.

Links

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
  2. ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
  3. ↑ Brickell, Christopher. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers. Dorling Kindersley Publishers, 1990.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
  5. ↑ RHS. The Garden Volume 112. Royal Horticultural Society, 1987.
  6. ↑ Polunin, Oleg. Flowers of Greece and the Balkans. Oxford University Press, 1980.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Polunin, Oleg. Flowers of the Mediterranean. Hogarth Press, 1987.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Polunin, Oleg. Flowers of Europe. Oxford University Press, 1969.
  9. ↑ Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
  10. ↑ Howes, Frank. Nuts. Faber, 1948.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
  12. ↑ Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
  13. ↑ Riotte, Louise. Carrots Love Tomatoes. Garden Way, 1978.
  14. ↑ Hill, Albert. Economic Botany. The Maple Press, 1952.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Rottsieper, E. Vegetable Tannins. The Forestal Land, 1946.


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