The pedunculate oak, a species unvaryingly perceived by Poles as noble and long-lived, has been chosen to represent Polish broadleaved trees in the UniEKO project. The planted trees have been assigned to the honorary doctorate holders who obtained their honorific titles from the University of Economics in Katowice in the course of its history.

 
Jan Mitręga 1972
Hans Borchert 1972
Józef Szaflarski 1987
Jean H.P. Paelinck 1987
Kazimierz Zając 1995
Bernd Hamm 1995
Tadeusz Mazowiecki 1998
Bohdan Gruchman 1999
Ber Haus 2004
Leszek Balcerowicz 2005
Jacques Delors 2011
Szewach Weiss 2013
Bogusław Fiedor 2015

The pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) - a large tree from the oak (Fagaceae) family, growing up to 50 metres in height, with a deep root system. It is native to Europe and Asia Minor. It can commonly be found in Poland, in particular in mixed-tree forests. It also grows in pure oak stands. The trunk starts to branch into thick, large boughs at a low height. It has a high and often wide spreading treetop. Its thick, vertically cracked bark is dark brown or almost black in colour. Lobed and nearly sessile leaves grow singly and have smooth edges. The top of the leaf is glossy and dark green, while the underside is matt and bluish green. Male and female flowers (gonochorism) appear in spring, together with leaves. Its longand pedunculate fruit, which is called acorns, ripens in summer, with 2-3 acorns on one peduncle - hence the name of the species. Oaks are long-lived trees. Their average lifespan is 500 years, but we also know the oaks which are over 1000-years old, therefore the oak symbolises strength and endurance.