What tree produces acorns?

The tree that produces acorns is the oak, belonging to the genus Quercus. Acorns are the oak’s nut-like fruits and contain a single seed enclosed in a hard shell and partly covered by a cup-shaped structure called a cupule.

Oak trees are widely distributed across the Northern Hemisphere, with species adapted to habitats ranging from temperate forests to Mediterranean woodlands. Their acorns are an important food source for squirrels, jays, deer, wild boar, and many other animals. By carrying and burying acorns, these animals also help oak trees spread and regenerate.

Not every oak produces acorns at exactly the same time. Some species begin fruiting after roughly 20 years, while others take longer, and acorn crops vary substantially from year to year. Large synchronized crops are often called mast years.

Beeches also produce small nuts, and maples produce winged samaras, but neither produces true acorns. The acorn is therefore one of the clearest identifying features of Quercus, the oak genus.