Acorns are nuts that are found in oak trees.Are you curious about how big an acorn can get? The largest acorn in the world belongs to the oak tree species known as Quercus macrocarpa.Oak trees provide shelter to numerous insects and are also helpful to humans in various ways. One of the most famously known parts of an oak tree is its acorns which are also highly nutritious for squirrels. Half of the contribution that a good old oak tree makes is through these nuts and apart from squirrels, acorns are also an important part of the diet for many species. Such as birds that include wild turkeys, jays, pigeons, woodpeckers, and ducks, small mammals like rodents, and also big mammals that consume acorns include deer, pigs, and even horses. Acorns come in different shapes and sizes and this is one of the ways to determine if the acorn belongs to red oak or a white oak tree. White oak acorns are longer in length and small in diameter, while a red oak acorn is shorter in length and wider in diameter. Another way to tell the difference between red oak and white oak is the testa. The testa from a white oak family acorn is smooth white, while the red oak acorns have a peach-like fuzzy texture.If facts like this are what you live for, what is the biggest thing in the world and biggest blizzard should be your next stop.Cool Facts About Biggest Acorn In The WorldThe biggest acorns in the world belong to the oak species called Quercus macrocarpa.Oak trees exist in several varieties. These include Quercus alba (white oak), Quercus rubra (red oak), Quercus velutina (black oaks), Quercus palustris (pin oak), Quercus bicolor (swamp white oaks), Quercus coccinea (scarlet oak), Quercus virginiana (live oaks), Quercus agrifolia (California oaks), Quercus kelloggii (California black oak), Quercus falcata (Spanish oak), Quercus macrocarpa (bur oak), Quercus lyrata (overcup oak) and a lot more. The oak tree that stands out in terms of acorns is the bur oak tree that produces acorns that are the biggest in the world. These huge acorns vary in sizes from anywhere between 1.5-2 in (3.8-5 cm) which is way bigger than an average acorn size which could be around 0.25 in (0.6 cm). Bur oak trees, or also commonly spelled as burr oak, are native to North America and are widely found in central and eastern parts and are most widely spread in north, central, and east Texas. Funny Facts About Biggest Acorn In The WorldThe name ‘macrocarpa’ literally means ‘large fruit’. The ‘burr’ in the name of the bur oak tree has derived from the description of the cup over the acorn. The cup of a bur oak acorn is a deep and fringed edge that gives a resemblance to the bur of a chestnut. Just like any other acorn in the world, acorns from a bur oak tree fall around autumn, and acorns that are mature enough to fall are always dark brown or tan in color. If acorns start falling prematurely, that is if they are still green when fallen, it mostly means that the tree has been paying attention to other things rather than seed or mature acorn production. And if you ask do acorns drop every year? There isn’t really just one precise answer to that. It depends from tree to tree and their age, which also means some years they might drop more, and some years, less.If you have an issue with having fallen acorns on your land, it is recommended to collect such fallen ones and wait until all of the acorns have fallen. Once you notice that all the acorns are on the ground, you can now stack them up and dispose, or maybe feed them to the animals and birds that love binging on them. However, please make sure the acorns are mature. If eaten raw, acorns can produce tannin that can be toxic for both humans and animals like horses, dogs, and cattle.Amazing Facts About Biggest Acorn In The WorldBur oak trees come in high quality and are a lot more valuable than red oak wood.Burr oak trees belong to the white oak group making it an ideal option for carving. White oak wood is known for its strong and sturdy nature. Burr oak owes its durability to its white oak family, which makes it more valuable than red oak. Bur oak is also used for making cabinets, barrels, hardwood floors, and fence posts, and can also be useful as medicines for heart ailments, broken bones, and as an astringent as well.The oak tree variety that these largest acorns belong to is large deciduous trees that are often confused with several species of oak trees such as the swamp white oak and overcup oak. Bur oak trees grow up to 200-300 years old and could even exceed 400 years. Its leaves can be 2.7-6 in (7-15 cm) in length and 2-5 in (5-13 cm) in width. Another oak tree that produces large acorns is the Quercus insignis (chicalaba oak). The Quercus insignis acorns, a Mesoamerican species, are large and sometimes can even be larger than a bur oak acorn. These acorns could vary anywhere from 0.25 in (0.6 cm) in size to as big as 2-3 in (5-7.6 cm). The bur oak is also appreciated for its density and large structure that makes this tree a great source of shade for both animals and other plants.Interesting Facts About Biggest Acorn In The WorldYou must have heard your family or relatives tell you that acorns are poisonous and should not be eaten. Well, guess what scientists just came up with? You actually can.Acorns have been proven to be safe for humans if and only if they are properly leached, which can be done by soaking acorns in cold water. If you are planning to eat these nuts from oak trees, please make sure to wait until they are ripe and brown. Raw acorns could be the worst for humans and so it’s definitely better to stay away from the raw ones altogether. You can also leach them by boiling the shelled acorns in water and keep replacing the water a few times until you feel that it tastes right. However, please make sure to keep it in moderation. These nuts can be poisonous for both humans and kids if eaten in huge amounts.If done right, acorns can also prove greatly nutritious for humans. High in potassium, iron, vitamin A, B6, and E, acorns are a power-packed nut that could have a total calorie of 144 kcal in 1 oz (28 g). Acorns are also a great source of fiber making them a great choice for a healthy gut. These oak tree nuts are also packed with antioxidants and can help prevent chronic ailments.Bur oaks are capable of thriving under a huge range of environmental conditions and can easily survive in dry, wet, and even mineral-poor soil. The bark of the oak tree that produces the largest acorns is thick and thereby protects it from catching fire and its taproot helps it survive even through a drought. Bur oaks are the most fire-resistant oaks among all oak trees.Oak trees come in different sizes; the smallest being the Japanese evergreen oak tree which has a length of just 20-30 ft (6-9 m) and the longest being the Henley oak tree that stands tall at 153 ft (46.6 m). With different categories of oak trees come a wide range of acorn sizes as well. Some might never produce acorns at all because of their poor genetics. With all these cool facts about oak trees and acorns, you are now ready to help your friends with the knowledge about these large acorns and blow off their minds the way we did yours.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for biggest acorn in the world, then why not take a look at biggest blizzard in the world or biggest box of Crayola crayons?
Acorns are nuts that are found in oak trees.
