Red oak acorns are stouter than most, are one to 1¼ inches long and set in a shallow cup. These acorns have matured at the end of a second season, and this year can be numerous enough on the ground to seem like marbles underfoot.
Acorns contain more fat and proteins than other plant foods and are actively sought after by many birds and mammals, such as deer. These acorns are bitter to our humans’ taste buds, but this red oak species is the “engine of the woods” for wildlife.
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