自然観察を本格的に始めるまでは、ウバメガシが住居の近くにあることに全く気づきませんでした。ウバメガシは、和歌山県など温暖な海岸線に多いカシノキの仲間で、良質の薪炭である、備長炭の原材料として有名です。強健な性質で、都市部での植栽にも耐えるため、公園や街路樹としてもよく用いられています。桂川沿いでは嵐山東公園に樹齢50年以上と思われる大木が散見します。
この木のドングリは、開花してから2年で実ります。したがって、写真のドングリは昨年開花したもの。今年咲いて、来年実る若い実は、枝先に小さく尖った針のように見えます。
Until I started observing nature in earnest, I was completely unaware of the presence of Ubamegashi (Quercus phillyraeoides) near my residence. The Ubamegashi is a member of the evergreen oak tree family, which is common along the warm coastline of Wakayama Prefecture, and is famous as a raw material for Binchotan, a high quality wood charcoal. It is also planted in parks and gardens and as a street tree because of its robust nature and ability to withstand urban environment. Along the Katsuragawa River, there are several old trees in Arashiyama Higashi Park that looks to be over 50 or 60 years old.
The acorns of this tree bear fruit two years after they bloom. Therefore, the acorns in the photo are those that bloomed last year. The young acorns that bloomed this year and will mature next year look like small, sharp needles at the tips of the branches.
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