File:Young Oak tree, Holt Heath - geograph.org.uk - 1472664.jpg

English: Young Oak tree, Holt Heath The Common Oak occurs in the form of mature trees often forming a canopy. The stalked acorns set it aside from Sessile Oak, which, unlike the Common Oak, has leaf stalks. Common Oak holds long-standing importance as a source of timber, and over the centuries, the acorns have provided food for stock. Approximately a thousand insects depend on Common Oak alone, which indicates its value to wildlife. Folklore suggests that if the oak comes into foliage after the ash then the summer will be wet, “Ash before Oak - soak”. Oak Apple Day is on the 29th May and commemorates the restoration of King Charles II in 1660. In Shropshire, the monarch hid in an oak tree to avoid capture after the battle of Worcester. Oak “apples” branches and sprigs are still used in some areas to mark Oak Apple Day. When boiled, the bark has been recorded as being used as an aid to help cure sore shoulders in horses. Legend tells us that "Faery folks are in the oaks". Oak trees are believed to provide safe havens and homes for many varieties of faery.