SLO / NIDERLOV HRAST
V Spodnji Ščavnici raste drugi najstarejši hrast v Sloveniji. Mogočna naravna »pojava« stoji ob Niderlovi domačiji, zato so ga poimenovali Niderlov hrast. Po ugotovitvah gozdarjev je hrast star več kot 400 let. To potrjuje njegova velikost, saj ima njegovo deblo obseg 706 cm, njegova lesna masa pa je ocenjena na 60 kubičnih metrov. Hrast je vsakih nekaj let obložen s hrastovim žirom, tod mu pravijo želod, in šiškami, ki jim tod pravijo »vuki«. Kot nam je nekoč povedal, že pokojni gospodar Konrad Niderl, ki je ob hrastu živel skoraj 70 let, je bil v preteklosti žir, ki so ga nabirali pod hrastom, dragocena krma za prašiče.
Hrast kot simbol
Obstajal je običaj, da so mlade neveste dobile hrastov list kot znak, da so odrasle in lahko rodijo potomce. To naj bi simboliziralo predvsem plodnost. Hrast zaradi svoje žilavosti in trdnosti simbolizira tudi moč. Znan je rek: „Močan kot hrast”. Prav zaradi tega so hrastov les uporabljali tudi sodarji. Ponekod pa je hrast poleg vrbe simboliziral tudi drevo, pod katerim se zbirajo čarovnice. Če v soju mesečine pogledamo v mogočno krošnjo Niderlovega hrasta velikana, vemo zakaj.
ENG / THE NIDERLS'S OAK
The second oldest oak in Slovenia grows in Spodnja Ščavnica. A powerful natural "phenomenon" stands next to the Niderl’s farm, which is why it was called the Niderl’s oak. According to the findings of foresters, the oak is more than 400 years old. This is confirmed by its size, since its trunk has a volume of 706 cm and its wood mass is estimated at 60 cubic meters.
Oak as a symbol
It was a custom for young brides to be gifted with oak leaves as a sign that they were grown up and could have children. This should symbolize fertility. Because of its toughness and strength, the oak symbolizes power. There is an old saying "Strong as Oak". Because of this, the oaks wood was also used as the main material for wine barrels. In some places the oak tree, besides the willow, symbolizes the tree under which the witches are gathering. If we look look under the mighty Niderl’s oak, through the treetop in the moonlight we get the idea why.
