White Oak - Quercus
alba
The flag ship of the
white oaks this species can live to be 800 years old in ideal
conditions. Members of the Beech family, oaks tend to be high
in tannins, chemical compounds which serve as protection against
insects which would eat the leaves, and to some extent against
animals which eat the acorns. Obviously not all animals are deterred
by the taste and bears rely on the acorns as a main source of
the fat they need to survive their winter torpor.
|
