Acorns are oak nuts and may be the prettiest nuts of all. An acorn takes anywhere between 6 and 24 months to mature. Acorns are one of the most important foods of the forest and are an important part of the diets of many types of birds and small animals. Large mammals like bears, deer and wild pigs also consume large quantities of acorns. In Spain and Portugal farmers still turn their pigs loose in the fall to go out and fatten themselves on acorns. Interestingly, acorns are poisonous to horses.
Acorns contain large amounts of protein, calcium, carbohydrates, phosphorus, potassium and niacin. Acorns also contain large amounts of tannins and the animals that store acorns for later usually wait before consuming them until enough ground water has passed through them to leach out the tannins. Very smart of those squirrels and blue jays don't you think?
I have picked out some pretty acorns to share with you today. This first one is a common oak leaf and acorn.
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This next acorn is a from a Rhine Oak. Isn't it pretty?
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And this last one is from an Oregon White Oak
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Hope you can find a use for these lovely acorns.
Enjoy!
