Which tree’s seeds are known as acorns?

An oak tree produces the seeds known as acorns.

Oaks belong mainly to the genus Quercus, which contains hundreds of species distributed across the Northern Hemisphere and parts of the Southern Hemisphere. Their fruits are nuts enclosed partly by a cup-like structure called a cupule, giving acorns their familiar appearance.

Acorns are an important food for wildlife, including squirrels, deer, jays, wild turkeys, and many other animals. Historically, people in several regions also processed acorns into flour or other foods after removing bitter tannins.

Oak trees are sometimes confused with beech and chestnut trees because all are members of the beech family, Fagaceae. However, the acorn is the characteristic fruit of oaks. Some oak species produce acorns with high tannin levels, while others have comparatively sweeter seeds.