Of the thousands of tree species in the world, the Oak tree stands head and shoulders above all others. It is without doubt one of the most well-known and with good reason. The Oak tree has been a symbol of strength, morale, resistance and knowledge. Throughout history, the Oak has been constantly represented in different mythologies and sometimes linked to powerful gods (in Greek mythology it was a symbol of Zeus, the God of Thunder).
Legend has it, that both Robin Hood and King Charles escaped from their enemies hiding in Royal Oaks. Also in the United Kingdom, the Royal Oak is the symbol of Toryism and the Conservative Party. In 2004 the United States Congress passed legislation designating the Oak as America's National Tree.
The Oak tree is considered a cosmic storehouse of wisdom embodied in its towering strength. They grow slowly, but surely and in their own time. Thanks to its size and longevity the Oak is often associated with honour, nobility, and wisdom. Oaks are known to easily surpass 300 years of age, making it a powerful life-affirming symbol.
The largest living tree in Australia is Sydney’s Bland Oak planted by the early colonialist in 1840.
Oak Trees are also practical and produce a major hard wood. An essential in early ship building. Oak planking was common on high status Viking longships in the 9th and 10th centuries and until the 19th century Oak wood was used in Europe for the construction of ships, especially naval galleons and men of war. On land, it was the principal timber used in the construction of European timber-framed buildings. Even today Oak wood is commonly used in furniture, floor boards, veneers and of course manufacturing Oak Barrels for storing and aging wines, beers, sherries and spirits.
“The Oak tree is a living legend representing all that is true, wholesome, stable, and noble.”
It is therefore no surprise that here in Sanctuary Lakes, the initial landscape planner and designer Barry Murphy planted a block of twenty-one Oak trees in and around the first planned garden/park, Saint Andrew’s Square and possibly as a contrast to our wonderful Australasian entrance of Red River Gums some 350 metres away.
The Oak tree species Barry chose was a native of Spain, Portugal and North Africa the Quercus Canariensis, better known as the Algerian or Mirbeck’s Oak. Despite its scientific name, it does not grow naturally in the Canary Islands, though it may have in the past. Quercus Canariensis enjoy flat clayish soils and slightly salty air, perfect for Sanctuary Lakes conditions.
Today, after 20 years growth they can be seen as young handsome large-leaved, wide spreading, broad domed canopy trees growing as broad as they are tall. Presently they are standing around 15 metres but will grow to twice that size. Their characteristic thick, arching branches coming off squat, but strong, straight trunks that will mature to a one metre plus diameter. The bark of the trunk is a dark greyish brown and deeply fissured.
The leaves are oblong or elliptical and have a sinuous or shallowly lobed margin, which are rounded to more pointed peaks. They are alternate, somewhat leathery and deciduous, but are also marcescent, i.e. the dry leaves of the previous year stay on until the buds of the new ones push them off the following spring. The tree flowers in September October and the male blossom appears on long yellowish filaments (catkins) that facilitate the dispersion of pollen by the wind. The female are small buds wedged between leaf and branch. When mature and fertilised, the female bud blooms and develops into the acorns, which are borne on short, thick stalks. The acorns cluster in two to threes’ and begin falling in the Autumn.
A visit in October to St Andrews Square, adjacent to Lakeside Drive, is guaranteed to visually surprise. The intense bright green of the newly minted leaves mixing with yellow pollinated catkins is truly delightful to the eye. A slight breeze will not only shimmer the light off the leaves, but creates a soft rustling sound. A reminder that in Ancient Greece when the Oak trees were considered sacred and the centrepiece of the pantheons, the priests would divine the pronouncements of the gods by interpreting the rustling of the Oak's leaves. Sadly, my classical education failed me and I was unable to translate for the SL Newsletter readers this week’s proclamation. But if you are walking around the lake take a slight detour to St Andrew’s Park and visit our magnificent young Oak trees. You won’t be disappointed and, who knows, you may hear a tree rustle from the Gods with a possible tip for the Melbourne Cup!
