Plant Details

Quercus robur

English oak

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Common names

64 names · 42 languages
EnglishYour language
+2 more namesShow fewer names
  • pedunculate oak[1]
  • Truffle Oak[1]
Other languages (41)
Dutch
French
  • Chêne pédonculé[1]
  • gravelin[1]
Afrikaans
Albanian
Armenian
  • Կաղնի ամառային[1]
Asturian
Basque
  • Haritz kanduduna[1]
Belarusian
  • Дуб звычайны[1]
Bulgarian
  • Летен дъб[1]
Catalan
  • roure pènol[1]
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Croatian
  • Hrast lužnjak[1]
Czech
  • dub letní[1]
Danish
Estonian
  • harilik tamm[1]
Finnish
Galician
  • Carballo común[1]
German
  • Deutsche Eiche[1]
  • Sommer-Eiche[1]
  • Sommereiche[1]
+2 more namesShow fewer names
  • Stiel-Eiche[1]
  • Stieleiche[1]
Greek
  • Δρυς η έμμισχος[1]
  • Ρουπακοβελανιδιά[1]
Hebrew
  • אלון אנגלי[1]
Hungarian
  • kocsányos tölgy[1]
Irish
  • Dair ghallda[1]
Italian
Japanese
  • イギリスナラ[1]
  • オウシュウナラ[1]
Kazakh
  • Кәдімгі емен[1]
Latvian
  • Parastais ozols[1]
Lithuanian
  • Paprastasis ąžuolas[1]
Norwegian
Polish
  • Dąb szypułkowy[1]
Portuguese
  • carvalho-roble[1]
Romanian
  • stejar pedunculat[1]
Russian
  • Дуб обыкновенный[1]
  • Дуб черешчатый[1]
Serbian
  • Храст лужњак[1]
Slovak
  • dub letný[1]
Slovenian
Spanish
Swedish
Turkish
  • Saplı Meşe[1]
Ukrainian
  • Дуб звичайний[1]
Welsh
  • Derwen mes coesynnog[1]
Sources & name notes (1)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Quercus robur — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • English oak — results[1].names[1]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • zomereik — results[1].names[2]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • roure pènol — results[1].names[3]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Stieleiche — results[1].names[4]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Sommereiche — results[1].names[5]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Deutsche Eiche — results[1].names[6]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • carvalho-roble — results[1].names[7]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • pedunculate oak — results[1].names[8]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Дуб звычайны — results[1].names[9]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Дуб черешчатый — results[1].names[10]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Дуб обыкновенный — results[1].names[11]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • metsätammi — results[1].names[12]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • farnia — results[1].names[13]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • roble común — results[1].names[14]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • chêne pédonculé — results[1].names[15]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • gravelin — results[1].names[16]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • common oak — results[1].names[17]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • dub letní — results[1].names[18]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Ek — results[1].names[19]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Almindelig eg — results[1].names[20]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • sommereik — results[1].names[21]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Carbayu — results[1].names[22]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Paprastasis ąžuolas — results[1].names[23]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Dąb szypułkowy — results[1].names[24]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • carbachu — results[1].names[25]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • reboḷḷu — results[1].names[26]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • harilik tamm — results[1].names[27]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • dub letný — results[1].names[28]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • オウシュウナラ — results[1].names[29]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • イギリスナラ — results[1].names[30]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • tammi — results[1].names[31]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Ρουπακοβελανιδιά — results[1].names[32]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Δρυς η έμμισχος — results[1].names[33]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • 夏櫟 — results[1].names[34]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • 夏栎 — results[1].names[35]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Храст лужњак — results[1].names[36]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Carballo común — results[1].names[37]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Haritz kanduduna — results[1].names[38]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Կաղնի ամառային — results[1].names[39]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Дуб звичайний — results[1].names[40]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Steeleik — results[1].names[41]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • skogsek — results[1].names[42]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • akker — results[1].names[43]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • akkerboom — results[1].names[44]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Acorn Tree — results[1].names[45]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • dob — results[1].names[46]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • kocsányos tölgy — results[1].names[47]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Truffle Oak — results[1].names[48]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Parastais ozols — results[1].names[49]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Летен дъб — results[1].names[50]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Кәдімгі емен — results[1].names[51]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • stejar pedunculat — results[1].names[52]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Hrast lužnjak — results[1].names[53]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Carballo — results[1].names[54]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • rrënjë — results[1].names[55]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Dair ghallda — results[1].names[56]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • 歐洲白櫟 — results[1].names[57]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • אלון אנגלי — results[1].names[58]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Derwen mes coesynnog — results[1].names[59]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Stiel-Eiche — results[1].names[60]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • stilkeg — results[1].names[61]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • stilk-eg — results[1].names[62]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Saplı Meşe — results[1].names[63]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.
  • Sommer-Eiche — results[1].names[64]; taxon id 56133; Quercus robur.

General information

Scientific name: Quercus robur
Accepted name (Kew): Quercus robur L. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Fagaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Quercus (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: English oak
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Nut tree
Catalogue size class: Large
Height: 12.19–21.34 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Spread: 12.19–21.34 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Growth rate: Moderate
Sources [3]
Foliage: Deciduous
Sources [3]
Growth habit: Oval, Rounded, Spreading

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [3]
Life cycle: Perennial
Sources [3]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [3]
Soil moisture:
Well-drained, Moist

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [3]
Soil:
Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand
Sources [3]
pH:
Acid (<6.0), Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Sources [3]
Light:
Full sun
Sources [3]

Uses

Edible parts:
Coffee, Seed, Gum
Edibility rating:
(4)
Medicinal rating:
(3)
Functions:
Basketry, Charcoal, Gum, Repellent, Wood, Bee forage

Description

Cooked seeds are nutritious but difficult to digest. They are crushed and roasted to serve as an alternative to almonds. After drying and grinding the seeds into a powder, it can be used as a thickening agent in stews or mixed with grains for bread preparation. Although the seeds contain bitter tannins, these can be leached out by thoroughly washing the seeds in running water, but this also causes the loss of many minerals. Whole seeds can be used or dried and ground into powder. The leaching process can be accelerated by placing the powder in a cloth bag in a stream. A taste test can indicate when the tannins have disappeared. Traditionally, seeds were buried in moist soil to overwinter. In spring, the sprouted seeds were dug up when the astringent effect had diminished. Roasted seeds can serve as a coffee substitute. Edible gum can be extracted from the bark. There are also reports of an edible substance obtained from the plant, used as a butter substitute in the kitchen; this most likely refers to the gum-like part of the plant.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/10
Harvest ends: 31/12

Crown

Crown shape: Broadly spreading and rounded
Sources [3]
Crown density: Dense crown

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 152857; name ID 171386; Quercus L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 157923; name ID 174750; Quercus robur L..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Quercus robur

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 1106843, ID 4R5YN: Quercus robur L. (accepted).

    Source checked on .

  3. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Quercus robur — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: Crown shapeHeightSpreadGrowth rateFoliageGrowth habitLife cycleLightSoil moistureSoil textureSoil pHUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Crown shape: Description: crown architecture
    • Height: Dimensions > Height; Height: 40 ft. 0 in. - 70 ft. 0 in.
    • Spread: Dimensions > Width; Width: 40 ft. 0 in. - 70 ft. 0 in.
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .