Acorns are the seeds of oak trees, and each one can grow into a full-sized tree.

The longer version

An acorn is a complete package for a new oak, a seed wrapped in food stores and enclosed by a tough coat, with a pointed cap where it was attached to the parent tree.

The stored food gives the seedling enough to push a root down and a shoot up before it can feed itself. Germination begins quickly once the acorn has moisture, and the young root usually grows first. Many acorns never survive, since animals eat most of each crop, but a single one is enough to replace the tree. Oaks also vary in how long their seeds keep, with some drying out quickly once they fall.

Where this entry sits

Plants and Trees gathers ordinary and surprising details about how green things live, from the tallest forest giants down to the moss on a garden wall. Expect notes on flowers, seeds, roots, leaves, fungi, and the quiet tricks plants use to spread and survive. The full list sits on the Plants and Trees page, where every entry is listed in order.