English oaks are a symbol of great strength and endurance. These magnificent trees grow to well over 30 metres and can live for 1,000 years or more. Flowering begins in late spring, with the fruits (acorns) ripening in time for autumn. Acorns grow in clusters and are an important source of food for many birds and small mammals, particularly jays and squirrels who cache away the acorns for later consumption. Being deciduous, oaks lose their distinctive lobed and wavy leaves in winter. They have been a prized source of timber since prehistoric times and it's said that an oak tree hid king Charles II from the Roundheads at Boscobel.

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