This species is closely related to Quercus coccifera and considered to be no more than a synonym of that species by some authorities[].

Common Name: Boz-Pirnal Oak

General Information

Quercus aucheri is an evergreen shrub or a small tree with an oval crown; it can grow 5 - 14 metres tall. The bole can be up to 60cm in diameter[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental.
The plant is classified as 'Near Threatened' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

All parts of the plant contain tannins. Whilst tannins are found in many foods, and have a range of medicinal uses. They are usually only present in low concentrations. In some foods made from oaks (particularly the seeds), the tannin content can be quite high unless the food is treated to reduce tannin content.
Tannins are only of low toxicity and, because of their bitter taste and astringency, are unlikely to be eaten in large quantities. However, if they are taken in excess, they can cause stomach pains; constipation followed by bloody diarrhoea: excessive thirst; and excessive urination[].

Botanical References

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Range

Southeastern Europe and western Asia - Aegean Islands, Turkey

Habitat

Maquis on limestone slopes; at elevations up to 450 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Near Threatened
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	5.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Quercus aucheri is native to the Mediterranean region, with its hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters. It can tolerate winter temperatures dipping occasionally to between -5 and -10°c but requires hot summers if it is to thrive.
Requires a warm, sunny position[]. Prefers a good deep fertile loam which can be on the stiff side[, ]. Plants are lime tolerant[]. Young plants tolerate reasonable levels of side shade[]. Tolerates moderate exposure, surviving well but being somewhat stunted[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[].
The seed takes about 18 months to ripen but is seldom produced in regions with cool summers[].
Hybridizes freely with other members of the genus[].
Many species in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[].
Seedlings soon develop a taproot and become intolerant of root disturbance, they should be planted into their permanent positions whilst young[].

Edible Uses

Seed - raw or cooked. A sweet flavour[]. The oval to acute seed is about 20 - 35mm long and 15mm wide[, ]. It is low in tannin and needs little if any leaching. The seed can be roasted and then eaten, its taste is something like a cross between sunflower seeds and popcorn[].
The seed is usually cooked before eating, though it can also be eaten raw. It can be eaten whole, though it is more commonly dried, then ground into a powder and used as a thickening in stews etc or mixed with cereals for making bread.
In some species, especially many of those classified as 'white oaks', the seeds are low in tannins and have a more or less sweet and agreeable flavour. The seed of most species, however, have a very bitter flavour, due especially to the presence of tannins. In these species there are various processes that can remove or at least reduce the amount of these bitter substances (although other water-soluble substances, including some minerals, will also be removed).
Tannins are water-soluble and therefore the easiest way to remove or reduce tannin levels is by soaking in water. A few different methods are listed:-
A traditional method of preparing the seed was to bury it in boggy ground overwinter and allow the wet soil to gradually leach the tannins. The germinating seed was dug up in the spring when it would have lost most of its astringency and bitterness.
Another method was to wrap the seeds in a cloth bag and place them in a stream for several weeks.
Drying the seed and grinding it to a powder before soaking speeds up the process. The fastest method is to use hot water, by cooking the powder and changing the water several times until the cooking water is no longer bitter. Alternatively, you can use cold water (which is reported to produce the best quality flour). In this case, you soak the powdered seed in cold water for 12 - 24 hours then discard the water. Repeat this process for a number of times until the soak water is no longer bitter.

The roasted seed of many Quercus species has been used as a coffee substitute.

Medicinal

Any galls produced on the tree are rich in tannins and therefore strongly astringent. They can be used in the treatment of various conditions including haemorrhages, chronic diarrhoea, dysentery, as a wash on cuts and wounds, as a mouthwash to treat toothache or gum problems etc[].
The bark and galls are rich in tannins. They are used as an astringent, antiseptic and haemostatic. A decoction is taken internally to treat acute diarrhea and inflammation. Applied externally, the decoction can be used for treating burns, cuts etc[].
The leaves are also rich in tannins and have been shown to have an effective antimicrobial activity[].

Other Uses

The following uses are for the closely related Q. coccifera, they should also be applicable here[].
The leaves of most species in this genus are more or less rich in tannins. A mulch of the leaves can be placed around vulnerable plants in order to repel slugs, snails, grubs etc. Fresh leaves should be used with caution, since these can utilize some of the nitrogen in the soil and this inhibit plant growth[, ].

Oak galls are excrescences that are sometimes produced in great numbers on the tree and are caused by the activity of the larvae of different insects. The insects live inside these galls, obtaining their nutrient therein. When the insect pupates and leaves, the gall can be used as a rich source of tannin, that can also be used as a dyestuff[].
The bark is rich in tannin[].

A black dye can be obtained from the bark[] and also from the seeds[].

Propagation

Seed - it quickly loses viability if it is allowed to dry out. It can be stored moist and cool overwinter but is best sown as soon as it is ripe in an outdoor seed bed, though it must be protected from mice, squirrels etc. Small quantities of seed can be sown in deep pots in a cold frame. Plants produce a deep taproot and need to be planted out into their permanent positions as soon as possible, in fact seed sown in situ will produce the best trees[]. Trees should not be left in a nursery bed for more than 2 growing seasons without being moved or they will transplant very badly.