Best time to see: all year

Key facts

A spreading tree, growing to a great size (up to 45m) and age (500 years or more), with rugged grey-brown bark

Most oaks in Essex are pedunculate, the sessile oak preferring the lighter soils further west or north

Supports a very large number and variety of insects, in turn providing food for many birds and other creatures

Extras

Acorns, like an egg in a cup, are attached by long stalks on the pedunculate oak and on the sessile oak by very short ones

Leaves are dark green with wavy lobes