Acorn – Nancy Turniawan 
Oak Art – Nancy Turniawan
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Acorn: the fruit of the Oak tree, Quercus spp.
Introduction
Acorns are the fruit and seed of oak trees. Oak trees are flowering plants; their male flowers are what we call “catkins” and hang down from the branches. The female flowers are inconspicuous and very small. Usually when the flowers are small and indistinct this means a plant is pollinated by the wind, as oaks are. After pollination, the egg develops into the seed (which is the part we can eat), protected by the shell of the acorn. An acorn is considered to be a type of fruit called a “nut”. Mature oak trees can produce acorns in abundance. Those years that have particularly good crops of acorns are called “mast years”.
Appearance and Habitat
There are a number of different oak trees that grow in Nova Scotia. The only one that is native to Nova Scotia is the red oak, which produces a short, wide acorn. The white oak, very common in towns and cities, has a longer, narrower acorn. The leaves of oak trees are arranged alternately on the branches and are lobed. Different types of oaks have differently shaped lobes. The native red oak has deep lobes with pointy ends. The white oak has shallower lobes and rounded tips. Oak trees often retain some of their leaves long into the winter (like our native beech trees), which make them easier to identify year round.
Relationships
Like most plants, oak trees have important relationships with fungi in the ground called “mycorrhizae”. Although some plants may grow without mycorrhizal fungi, they do not get as big and are generally less healthy than those that do have mycorrhizae.
Human Use
Oak trees are beautiful, strong, long-lived trees that are excellent for climbing. Acorns produced by oak trees provide a food source for people as well as for many rodents of all sizes. Indigenous peoples have eaten acorns for hundreds of years. The seed or “meat” of the acorn can be processed into flour and then used in many different ways. Acorn processing takes a long time, but the end result is quite tasty.
Oak bark, leaves and seeds contain a lot of tannins, a chemical made by plants, usually to protect them from being eaten. Tannins were also traditionally used to tan animal hides – which is where the word comes from. To us, and most herbivores, tannins taste very bitter and discourage us from eating them. Before acorns can be used as food they must be shelled and the tannins must be removed. This is usually done by grinding the dry acorns into very small pieces and soaking them in water, which is frequently changed, until most of the tannins dissolve. Then the ground acorns must be dried so that they do not mold. At this point, they can be used or ground finer into flour. Acorn flour can be used in any recipe that calls for flour, usually as a quarter to half of what is needed.
Biomimicry
Scientists inspired by the unique abilities of certain organisms often try to create inventions based on those unique abilities: this is called biomimicry. Acorn shells are hard and protect the nut inside. Scientists often examine acorn shells and other structures to learn how these hard, protective substances are made by plants at room temperature without using harmful chemical processes. How can engineers mimic the structures and the benefits of how they are made?
Scientific Name
The red oak is known scientifically as Quercus rubra.
~Monica Schuegraf
