What you should know about acorns

This is what the fruits of the oak look like

• Elongated nut
• About three inches long
• Medium brown color
• removable fruit cup (cupula)

The acorn harvest season begins in September. The fruits simply fall to the ground.

The budding takes place in the next year. Acorns need a very low temperature period before they begin to germinate.

Recognize ripe acorns

If you want to collect acorns in the forest to make your own Draw oak tree, you need to make sure that these are ripe.

The ripe fruit of an oak can be recognized by the fact that it can be easily removed from the cap.

Ripe acorns that are suitable for sowing have a medium brown, shiny outer skin. They are firm and have no holes.

Pulling an oak tree out of acorns

The fruit of the oak is best picked directly from the tree and stored in the refrigerator for a longer period of time.

They are then placed in a pot or outdoors planted.

Alternatively, acorns that have already germinated can be dug up in the forest in spring.

Do not eat acorns raw

Acorns are very nutritious, but humans cannot enjoy them raw. Because of their high content of tannic acid, they are poisonous and cause severe gastrointestinal complaints.

The tannins can be removed by soaking. Acorns can be processed for various purposes.

In times of need, acorns were ground into flour or roasted as a substitute for coffee.

Acorns as pig feed

Pigs and forest animals, on the other hand, tolerate raw acorns well.

In the past, the fruit of the oak was therefore used for pig fattening. The pigs were driven into the forest in autumn and ate the acorns there.

The acorns are said to make the pork very aromatic. In Mediterranean countries, pigs are still fattened with the fruits of the cork oak.

Tips & Tricks

The bark of oaks is often used in natural medicine. It contains anti-inflammatory agents. Extracts from the bark are used as bath additives Rashes and used as a tea to treat stomach problems.