Study about three trees tipycal of Galicia (Spain)

1. Oak or common oak
Quercus robur L.
O
u Sweet chestnut
Castanea sativa Miller
r
Trees
Camelia
Camellia japonica L.

2. Oak or common oak
Quercus robur L.
Distribution:
All of Europe from
Ireland to the
Caucasus and
North to
Scandinavia.
Height: 35 m
Shape: Broadly
spreading
Deciduous species
Pollinization:
Wind

3. Oak or common oak
Quercus robur L.

4. Oak or common oak
Quercus robur L.
Leave and fruits
Bark

5. Oak or common oak
Quercus robur L.
Colours in Autumn

6. HISTORY
• This species appears in Galician ecosystems when it
reaches the ecological balance. Due to this, it was very
Oak or common oak
common in Galicia.
Quercus robur L.
• Oak wood was widely used in ship building in the
16th,17th and mainly in the 18th centuries. Later it was
used to make sleepers for the railways. Due to this, the
number of specimens decreased and oaks disappeared
in many places.
• Acorns were a great source of carbohydrates before
chestnuts were introduced by the Romans.
• Oak wood was very appreciated to make beams and
furniture. Nowadays it is sought to make barrels to
mature wines and whiskies.

7. INTERESTING FACT
Building a medium-
sized vessel requiered
4000 m3 of wood, 3000
m3 of which were oak
Oak or common oak
wood.
Quercus robur L.
This amount is
equivalent to 1500 big
oak trees, around 50
hectares of oak forest
more than 150 years
old.
According to the system
used to select the trees
–they had to have
certain features- this
number could be ten
times higher.
José María de Juán-
García Aguado
Naval Engineer, PhD

8. Sweet chestnut
Castanea sativa Miller
Distribution:
Southern Europe,
North Africa and
south-west Asia.
Height: 30 m
Shape:
Broadly columnar
Deciduous
Pollinated: Insect
Size of the tree without leaves

9. Sweet chestnut
Castanea sativa Miller
Old specimens

10. Sweet chestnut
Castanea sativa Miller
Leaf
Male flowers
Bark

11. Fruit
Castanea sativa Miller
Sweet chestnut
.
The seed or chestnut
was used in ancient
times as food.
Nowadays it is also
used that way.

12. Castanea sativa Miller
Sweet chestnut
HISTORY
It comes from the Eastern Mediterranean area, from where it
spreaded to be grown due to its many uses. It became
acclimatized to Galicia very easily and was one of the most
important trees in our region due to its good wood and also
food too.
Nowadays the number of specimens has diminished due to it
not being cultivated any more, the felling and several fungal
diseases.

13. Chestnut forest
where we can
see “curripa”
constructions,
Castanea sativa Miller
stone circular
Sweet chestnut
estructures where
the chestnut
cupules were
dried in order to
get the chestnuts
out of them more
easily.

14. COOKED
CHESTNUTS
WITH MILK
Castanea sativa Miller
Ingredients
Sweet chestnut
•Dry or raw
chestnuts
•Milk
•A cinnamon
stick
•Lemon zest
Procedure
Cook all In our region chestnuts are eaten in Autumm,
ingredientes when they are ripe, and mainly around two
together until catholic holidays: the Day of the Dead
chestnuts are (October 31st ) and All Saint’s Day (November
tender. 1st ). The rest of the year they are eaten dry.

15. Cooked in water,
adding fennel to
give them flavour
Castanea sativa Miller
Sweet chestnut
Fennel (foeniculum vulgare)

16. Castanea sativa Miller
Sweet chestnut
Several ways to prepare canned chestnuts

17. Castanea sativa Miller
Sweet chestnut
Such as:
•Canned chestnuts au
naturel
•Marrons-glacés
•Chestnut puree

18. Castanea sativa Miller
Sweet chestnut
Chestnut tree wood was very appreciated in construction

19. Castanea sativa Miller
Sweet chestnut
Also for making furniture and other
instruments

20. Camelia
Camellia japonica L.
Countries of origin:
China and Japón
Height: 5-8 m
Evergreen species

21. Camelia
Camellia japonica L.
Fruit
Leave
Flower

22. Camellia japonica L.
History
This tree was introduced from Eastern Asia
in the 18th century and it is grown for
Camelia
ornamental purposes all over Spain.
It became acclimatized to Galicia so well that
now it is one of the most important
species. It can be found in many parks
and gardens in all its varieties, their main
difference being their flowers.
:

23. Camellia japonica L.
Camelia
It looks good both as a single
specimen or forming hedges

24. It is also
Camellia japonica L.
used in
rows as
Camelia
decoration
for some
streets.
Dolores
Street,
Ferrol

25. Camellia japonica L.
Camelia
A variety of camelia flowers decorated
with leaves of other species

26. Camelia
Camellia japonica L.

27. Camelia
Camellia japonica L.

28. Camelias exhibitions are held in many villages and
towns of Galicia all over the year.
Camellia japonica L.
Camelia

29. Activity
We suggest working with these three
trees in all the countries involved.
The students could find out if there
are specimens of every specie in their
country.
If so, they could study and
compare their botanical
characteristics, history and uses
against the Spanish specimens.
With the results they could complete
a project like the one we show on the
right or other similar ones.
If not, they could find out the
reason why they don’t grow in their
countries (incompatible climate,
topography, etc).