# What kind of wood comes from an acorn tree?



## Ram 1500 with an axe... (Apr 10, 2013)

Sorry for a silly question, I thought oak, I was told no...


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## nate379 (Apr 10, 2013)

Yes, Oak makes acorns


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## remkel (Apr 10, 2013)

Acorns are produce by oaks. Just come on into my yard and I will be happy to show you.


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## Ram 1500 with an axe... (Apr 10, 2013)

Do acorns appear every single year on the same tree?


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## fossil (Apr 10, 2013)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oak


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## fossil (Apr 10, 2013)

Acorns are the fruit of the Oak tree, containing the seed by which the tree reproduces.


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## StihlHead (Apr 10, 2013)

Oaks produce acorns. Also trees in the genus _Lithocarpus_ produce acorns_. _Those trees are a type of beech that are all native to Asia except for one species that we call Tanoak (or tanbark oak) here in the very western US. Tanoaks look a lot like oaks, produce acorns like oaks, but they are not really oaks.

So the answer could be oaks, or tanoaks here. In NJ though, it is likely only to be oaks.


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## Ram 1500 with an axe... (Apr 10, 2013)

Some years there are not a lot of acorns, why?


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## TreePointer (Apr 10, 2013)

There doesn't seem to be one simple answer.  I catch Ron Wilson on the radio on the weekends.  Here's his article on the issue:

http://www.ronwilsononline.com/pages/ronW_treesShrubs.html?feed=301035&article=4616115


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## billb3 (Apr 10, 2013)

For the few decades I've been stepping on them and listening to them bang around inside the lawn mower from the white and red oaks here it seems to be favorable/unfavorable Spring weather conditions. However the last two years we've had no acorns but we've also had severe winter moth defoliations. I'm hoping for a decline in the winter moth  this year as they get my fruit trees too unless  I get a good target spray on the little munchers.


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## bogydave (Apr 10, 2013)

Thought acorns were nuts?
Squirrels think so.


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## nsfd95 (Apr 11, 2013)

Old timers around here say the more acorns around the harsher the winter and vice versa. Two years ago we had the most acorns I have ever seen in my life also the snowiest winter in a long time. Last year no acorns and only one snow storm. This year average acorns average winter. Pretty neat.


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## Beer Belly (Apr 11, 2013)

We've got two Oaks in our front yard as part of a garden bed, and I've been tempted to cut them @#*&% down.....ferakin' Acorns everywhere....like walking on marbles, and they hurt like heck when then land on your head


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## Woody Stover (Apr 11, 2013)

A lot of times you can ID what Oak species you are looking at by the acorns. Size, what the cap looks like, how far it comes down over the shell, etc.


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## firefighterjake (Apr 11, 2013)

Acorns = oak . . . at least in my little piece of the world.

As a side note . . . I love oaks . . . probably because growing up the family land had few, if any oaks. My home property has several though and I love the shape and even the acorns in the Fall with the chipmunks and squirrels gathering them up. Heck, I even gather some up and plant them around the property . . . and on the family land.


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## Applesister (Apr 11, 2013)

Just think, the mighty Oak was once a little nut like you.

hahaha...okay...oak trivia...the white oak class has an acorn gestation period of 1 year. Red oaks have a gestation period of 2 years. White tailed deer and most wild turkeys prefer the flavor of White oak acorns over Red oak.
During the coffee embargo Americans made acorn coffee as well as chicory root coffee.
In ancient symbolism acorns represent fertility and prosperity.


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## BobUrban (Apr 11, 2013)

Deer will dig through a pile of corn and red oak acorns to find one white - less tannin = less bitter. Bite one, reds will twist your mouth up. If you crush reds and soak them in moving water it will take a lot of the tannins out and make them palitable but white are still better and after soaking whites will have a nutty flavor.

Ok, enough silly trivia - Oaks do not produce fruit every year. sometimes none, sometimes a little and sometimes it rains the nuts. But to answer the original question again: acorns = oak. Many varieties of red and white oak trees but the easiest way to tell(or how I learned it) is whites have rounded lobe leaves(bullets) reds have pointed lobes on the leaves(arrows) This may not be PC any longer but that is how I was taught many years ago as a child. Some reds will have rounded lobes with just a tiny point in the end like a barb or needle point so look close. White is the best in regards to firewood but both are at the very top so take it all. Once you have been identifying trees a while you will note differences in bark and wood so identity will be obvious without the leaves.

Also, as the saying goes, " the only dumb question is the one not asked"  We all learn something new pretty much daily here and I am just one of those weirdos that has been facinated by this stuff from a very young age - long before I was burning wood to heat my home.


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## Paulywalnut (Apr 11, 2013)

Ram 1500 with an axe... said:


> Some years there are not a lot of acorns, why?


 Two oaks at my sons house have not had acorns for two years. Very healthy otherwise.


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## Backwoods Savage (Apr 11, 2013)

Ram 1500 with an axe... said:


> Do acorns appear every single year on the same tree?


 
NO. It depends upon the weather. In summers like we just had (very hot and dry) most of the oaks will drop their acorns as early as July. Of course there is no meat in them yet so they are worthless. And yes, you can tell a white oak and red oak by looking at the acorns.

To add to what Bob stated about the deer going for the white oaks, he is correct. However, this will no doubt seem strange and odd to many but deer will go for the pin oak acorns just about as much as the white oaks. No, it does not make sense because pin oaks are in the red oak family. However, I've shot more than one buck while he was chomping on the acorns from pin oaks.


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## wingsfan (Apr 11, 2013)

Ram 1500 with an axe... said:


> Sorry for a silly question, I thought oak, I was told no...


Who told you no? Maybee you could give them a lesson or two.


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## wingsfan (Apr 11, 2013)

I just  ask my wife this, She said there is no acorn trees, only oak trees that grows acorns,,,,


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## raybonz (Apr 11, 2013)

My oaks produce bcorns.. I am more advanced than you people 

Ray


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## Pallet Pete (Apr 11, 2013)

raybonz said:


> My oaks produce bcorns.. I am more advanced than you people
> 
> Ray



My oaks are imaginary so they can produce whatever I tell them ! 



Pete


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## Ram 1500 with an axe... (Apr 11, 2013)

Great thread, thank you all for for all the great information that you are giving, I thought I was screwy when I think back and there weren't acorns I years past, and yes, I can finally teach him something....


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## bluedogz (Apr 11, 2013)

BobUrban said:


> Also, as the saying goes, " the only dumb question is the one not asked"  .


 
At the same time, it turns out there are a LOT of inquisitive idiots.


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## mywaynow (Apr 11, 2013)

Acorn yields will vary year to year.  I have read these variations are by design so that the animals can't develop a routine that consumes all the nuts.  Some years almost none, some a glut.  Glut years are seedling bearing as not all the nuts are  consumed.


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## osagebow (Apr 11, 2013)

We had a glut year 2 years ago, very hard to hunt that year. Should have just picked up acorns and ate them! http://www.jackmtn.com/acornbread.html


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## aansorge (Apr 12, 2013)

Heavy mast years will overwhelm the acorn eaters so that some will survive and produce trees.


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## Ram 1500 with an axe... (Apr 12, 2013)

aansorge said:


> Heavy mast years will overwhelm the acorn eaters so that some will survive and produce trees.



The squirrels at my house live good and did a great job of cleaning up good.
I started this thread because I got acorns from this tree I got cut down recently, the estimator, called it a maple, then my friend said it wasn't oak when he saw the wood split. I was sure it was an oak but then questioned it with these two other views being out there.
Now, to the idiot poster, that's not very nice, my understanding was this is a great place to live and learn about a common hobby, passion or addiction. I'm sorry your bitter, I understand and I'm sorry...


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## aansorge (Apr 12, 2013)

What did I say?  I was just talking about why some years have acorn years and others don't.  Maybe I missed something...

Never mind I think you were talking to bluedogz.


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## Ram 1500 with an axe... (Apr 12, 2013)

aansorge said:


> What did I say?  I was just talking about why some years have acorn years and others don't.  Maybe I missed something...
> 
> Never mind I think you were talking to bluedogz.


Nothing buddy, you answered the question perfectly, thanks for doing so...
The squirrels shouldn't get them all


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## HDRock (Apr 13, 2013)

The squirrels are out to get me   
Oak tree hanging over deck ,grilling on the grill,dodging acorns the squirrels are dropping, hit me right on top of head with a cluster of acorns once,ouch


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## raybonz (Apr 13, 2013)

bluedogz said:


> At the same time, it turns out there are a LOT of inquisitive idiots.


What exactly do you mean by this? I see nothing wrong with this thread and some folks may have been raised in a city and simply not know what others considered inherent knowledge.

Ray


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## bluedogz (Apr 13, 2013)

raybonz said:


> What exactly do you mean by this? I see nothing wrong with this thread and some folks may have been raised in a city and simply not know what others considered inherent knowledge.
> 
> Ray


 
Nothing at all.... there isn't a thing wrong either with this thread or anyone participating in it.
For background, I've spent the last ten years in a "service" role taking calls from people who would ask questions like, "I just got a letter from your company.  What does it say?" and "If I close my account, will there be any money left in it?"  (seriously)  
I just have a peeve against telling (kids especially) that "the only dumb question is the one you don't ask" when what I would like them taught is "the only dumb question is the one you don't seek an answer to."
That said, there ain't much better place to seek an answer about trees than here.  (And us city boys had oak trees too!)
Thus endeth my admittedly insignificant opinion.


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