Why oak leaves are a symbol of health, longevity and military prowess?

Many people think that oak leaves are all the same in nature. But this is not so. It is known that there are more than six hundred varieties of this tree, found in different parts of the world. As for coloring, in summer the leaves can be from light and dark green to silver. And the oaks growing on the Himalayan slopes have many differences from the Scottish or tropical Polynesian ones, if only because in warm climatic latitudes these are evergreens that do not shed their leaves for the winter, as it does here.

However, all oak leaves are always wide, so some confuse them with maple, especially in autumn, when they are painted in amazing colorful colors of all shades. Like most broad-leafed, they have a thin plate, and intricate denticles are their characteristic feature. Here, according to these teeth, there are different types of oaks among themselves, as well as by the presence or absence on the leaves of the cannon and by geometric features - they can be oval or elliptical.

Places where these plants grow compactly are called oak forests. Oak leaves in the spring on the Russian territory appear rather late and fall off also last, trying to keep on a tree even in a dry state.

The tree grows slowly, at first actively extends upwards, because it does not tolerate shading, why with all its might and wants to the sun. Only after reaching a favorable height, it begins to expand its trunk. The root system is so powerful that this giant is not afraid of any natural disasters, therefore, the duration of his life is several centuries. So, only on the territory of Russia for the last two years twenty-eight oak old-timers, who lived from three hundred to five hundred years, have received the state protection letter.

These giants are so stunning that from the earliest times people give them sacred significance and use oak leaves in many everyday rituals and witchcraft recipes aimed at restoring strength, strengthening health and maintaining beauty.

For the same reason, they were so actively used in heraldry by various tribes and peoples. The most famous example is the German princedoms. The Germans at all times so esteemed the oak leaf, the picture of which they depicted on the arms and shields in the Middle Ages, on awards and decorations in later times, that at the beginning of the Second World War engraved it on the highest award - the knight's cross, which was awarded The most valiant officers, and only with the representation of the Fuhrer himself.

Currently, according to the legislation in force in the United States of America , if the heroes who have shown heroism were awarded the same award for the second, third, fourth time, then instead of the orders themselves they are issued a breastplate with five degrees of valor - a silver oak leaf. The photo of these awards clearly demonstrates that each of the signs differs in size and is attached to the medal bar. On it, the leaves are gathered in a bundle along with stems and acorns.