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How does an acorn become a tree? |
Plants
They cover the ground in autumn and you often see them in the paws of squirrels or the beaks of birds. They are acorns, the fruit of oak trees! Inside of each acorn is a seed. If the acorn holds the oak seed, can it be planted to grow a new tree? Absolutely!
Sometimes nature takes care of the planting! For example, have you ever found an acorn sprouting in one of your potted plants? Squirrels love to bury acorns in any dirt they can find. While there is probably not enough space for an oak tree to grow in a pot that houses another plant, the tree could grow in the ground if a squirrel were to bury it there, then forget to come back for it later!
Sometimes people decide to plant acorns in order to grow oak trees, even giving the new plants time to grow in containers before transplanting them to the ground. Regardless of who plants the acorn, once it is in the soil, a long taproot emerges and begins taking water and nutrients from the dirt. Soon a stem and leaves rise from the ground. While critters may dig up or chomp on young seedlings, the ones that survive eventually form branches and leaves, becoming majestic oak trees that are important to the habitats of creatures great and small!
When growing an oak tree, patience is the key! These trees do not develop quickly. In fact, 10-20 years can pass before they are large enough to offer a good amount of shade. But once full grown, their strong, shady presence is a source of beauty to admire, and a source of food and shelter for nature’s creatures!
Do you live in an area surrounded by oak trees? Do some of them have caps? Be on the lookout for signs of birds foraging for acorns and squirrels burying them in the dirt. If you decide to collect acorns, avoid the ones with holes in them. These holes are a sign that insects have laid their eggs in the acorns so their larvae can eat the meat inside once they hatch!
