Many people think that the oak leaves are all the same in nature.But it is not.We know that this tree species occurring in different parts of the world, there are more than six hundred.As for color, the leaves can be in the summer of light and dark green to silver.And oaks growing on the Himalayan slopes, have a lot of differences from the Scottish or Tropical Polynesian, if only because the warm climate latitudes is evergreens, do not shed their leaves for the winter, as is the case with us.
However, oak leaves are always wide, so some confused them with maple, particularly in autumn when they are painted in amazing motley colors of all shades.Like most broadleaf they have a thin plate and intricate teeth - of the characteristic feature.Here on this clove and differ in certain types of oak trees, as well as on the presence or absence of sheets of paper on the gun and the geometric characteristics - they can be oval or elliptical.
place where these plants grow compact, called oak forests.Oak leaves in the spring on the Russian territory, and appear quite late last fall, too, trying to stay on the tree, even in a dry state.
tree grows slowly, at first actively stretching upward, because they do not tolerate shading, making hard and tends to the sun.Just getting to the low height of it, it begins to expand its trunk.The root system of a so powerful that this giant is not afraid of any natural disaster, so the duration of his life - a few centuries.Thus, only in Russia over the past two years have received safe-conduct state has twenty-eight oaks old-timers who have lived from three hundred to five hundred years.
These giants are so striking that since ancient times, people give them a sacred significance and oak leaves used in many household rituals and divination recipes to restore strength, health promotion and maintenance of beauty.
For the same reason they are so actively used in heraldry different tribes and peoples.The most famous example of this is the German principalities.The Germans at all times so revered oak leaf pattern which they have been depicted on the coat of arms and shields in the Middle Ages, on the awards and distinctions in more recent times, at the beginning of World War II, engraved it on the highest award - the Knight's Cross, which honorsmost valiant officers, and only with the presentation of the Fuhrer.
Currently, according to the current in the United States law, if showed heroism military have received the same award for the second, third, fourth time, instead of themselves orders they are given breast premium mark having five degrees of valor - the silver oak leaf.Photos of these awards demonstrates that each of the characters is different in size and is attached to the Service Ribbon.On it leaves in a bun with stems and acorns.
