甘比英文拓展写作-橡树构造-Jo
Day 16 2017-02-03 Friday
2 hours, 410 words
King Oak
Oak is an enormous deciduous tree. Majestically towering and long living, the type is hailed King of the Western World. During the first year of its life, an oak tree root grows a mere 5 feet (1.5 m), but in a span of 20 years or so, it soars up challenging the clouds and lasts for around 600 years. The main trunk keeps growing thicker and taller up to 130 feet (40 m) high; in the process, it branches out upward, forming a massive canopy on top.
There you will see its lobed leaves. They appear in spring when temperature starts to go up, prosper in summer with sufficient sun light and humidity, turn into autumn colors as they stop photosynthesizing and fall away in winter, putting the tree in dormancy and setting the stage for the next such cycle.
“From acorn grows the oak”
Oak normally matures at 20 to 30 years old, depending on the species. That means the tree is ready to yield acorn, its fruit, an almost-round 1/2-inch nut with a “cup” at the other end. Most oaks are at their acorn production peak at 50 to 80 years of age (after 80, acorn crop begins to decrease). You can start looking for oak acorns after the 3rd week of August, since it usually takes 1 to 2 seasons’ growth for significant acorn crops, with an interval of 1 to 3 years. Therefore, an oak tree is not necessarily consistent in its annual production. Factors like freezing temperature during blooming, drought nutrition and sun-light exposure, as well as excessive rain or windy conditions during pollination, all play a part.
Pollination
Oak tree bloom roughly around mid-March. At the tip of the uppermost branches of the canopy hang the yellow-green male flowers, and at the far secretive end of the twig hide the female ones. These tiny flowers bloom through summer from March. They are ready.
Pollination is vital to the ultimate production of acorns, the top food source for many forest lives like deer, turkey, squirrels, chipmunks and larger birds. 2 weeks after oak flowers bloom, pollination begins, resulting in a yellowish dust in the air. But they have 4 days to drop the pollen and 2 weeks to finish the job. While humans are enduring seasonal allergies brought by this, the forest king is undergoing the most crucial time, embarking on the first step of a cycle where many lives are at stake.
