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This society has is mission to re-introduce the Valonia Oak into the Greek landscape. Contact information below.

  Click here to learn about the conference on the island of Kea October 8th-9th on the importance of the Valonia Oak

Sowing Instructions for the Valonia Oak (Quercus ithaburensis or macrolepis or aegilops) on private land.                                            

General information.

The Valonia Oak is a majestic, semi-evergreen tree of Greece which is being threatened with extinction because of human activities over many centuries. 

It is extremely photofilic, a characteristic which forces it to grow very sparsely (at most 8 trees per stremma) and also to form a sparse crown so that no branch overshadows another. Because of this, the ground surrounding the tree is in light shadow and protected from drought. As a result of this the development period of the vegetation which grows in this space is prolonged by 4 to 6 weeks. 

 Being semi-evergreen is an advantage because the leaves thin out gradually from October until January and are assimilated gradually into the environment, as opposed to the deciduous trees under which huge piles of leaves accumulate in a matter of days in autumn. 

Procedure for sowing Valonia Oaks. 

If we decide we want a Valonia Oak on our land, the best method is to sow an acorn directly into the chosen position. 

Where 

In a position at least:

•     8 metres from the house

•     5 metres from the fence

•     10 metres from the next tree 

How 

•     We dig a hole 40 cm. deep and 35 cm. wide and if the ground is dry we slowly add  a bucket of water.

•     Remove any stones from the soil we have dug out and then put back the cleaned soil leaving a depression of 5cm below ground level.

•     Put in an acorn and a marker, fill up with soil and press down lightly.

    If the soil is dry, slowly add another bucket of water. 

When

•     The best season for sowing is right after the acorns fall from the mother tree (i.e. from September to November depending on the location and the weather.)

•     Usually the worm-eaten and hollow acorns fall first and then the healthy ones so we leave the first ones and choose the acorns which fall later. 

Development of the saplings 

•     Depending on the location and the weather the saplings come out between February and May. The first leaves are reddish.

•     If 10 – 15 days go by without rain we water lightly.

•     If animals graze on our land, we must fence off the places where the acorns have been sown.

 Pruning 

•     After the 2^nd year, when the sapling has developed, we prune it to help it grow more quickly.                                                                      

•     With a small pair of secateurs we remove any lower sideshoots as well as the  shoots at the base of the trunk.

•     If there are any buds on the trunk below the last side-branch we have left, we remove them with our fingers.(known as bud rubbing). 

Where do we get the acorns? 

• The best way is to use acorns from our area because they come from trees adapted to local conditions.    

• If there are no Valonia Oaks in your area, or they are found in inaccessible places, you can contact the Society of friends of the Valonia Oak and the environment (Ms Iris Theodoridis –tel. 22950 23149 Attiki) or The Nature-lovers and Athletic Society “Paionia” (mr. Apostolis Tzoganis –tel. 26460 93540  Aitoloakarnania Skourtou T.K.30009 Greece)