Pleached Holm Oak

Holm Oak, Evergreen Oak, Holly Oak – Quercus ilex (Fagaceae)

The Holm Oak, is a splendid Evergreen Oak tree which has naturalised in all but the coldest parts of the United Kingdom. Native to the Mediterranean, there are numerous trees in existence over 1000 years old. The first record of a Holm Oak being planted using acorns was in England in 1803 at Mamhead Park, Devon and the trees can still be seen growing in the grounds of this stately home today.

Widely regarded as the evergreen species of choice, it is always in high demand as a trained tree and more specifically pleached trees. Although reaching heights of 28m, they are relatively slow growing and after 25 years the tree will be just 7-10m high and 4-6m wide.

The tree develops densely leafed branches which can hang low in a pendula fashion as the tree matures creating a broad round crown. Some trees have a more upright habit. The bark is grey brown and finely grooved. May is the autumn month for this evergreen, when large quantities of leaves fall to the floor ready for the arrival of the new foliage. In early June the fresh green leaves emerge dark and glossy with a whitish underside measuring 4-7cm long. Being reared from seed there can be quite a big variation in the shape of the tree and also the size of the leaf depending on which region they have been sourced from. One thing is for sure, they always look beautiful. Long (6-10cm) gold coloured catkins develop which are followed by dark green acorns 1-2cm long in groups of between two and five clumped together. In autumn the acorns turn a dark red/brown and fall to the ground offering squirrels an important source of food. One of the top three trees used for truffle orchards, the acorns are an important source of food for free range pigs reared for ibérico ham production on the Iberian Peninsula.

The tree is very shade tolerant and is happy growing amongst other trees in a woodland setting or as we prefer as a solitaire pieces in the middle of open parkland. While unable to withstand severe frosts and harsh winters, with global warming and an increase in average temperatures the trees are finding their way further north and doing rather well. Winter hardy down to approximately -12C, the Holm Oak is a common sight in the SW of England. An area where they are prolific is Dorset, Sandbanks, Canford Cliffs and Bournemouth for example where the trees self-seed and grow wild due to a combination of warm summers and loamy free draining soils, which they prefer. The tree will also grow successfully in clay-based soils and chalk/limestone as long as it is free draining. Salt tolerant they can be seen growing quite happily just a few meters from the high tide mark in these areas. Sandy coastal plots of land can be difficult to populate with trees as they find it difficult to anchor themselves sufficiently. The benefit of the Holm Oak is its strong root system which can be sent down quite some distance to provide a stable platform for development.

If you are looking for a large evergreen hardwood tree to help populate a coastal site, one that does particularly well in harsh coastal conditions then the Holm Oak may be a good choice. They can be clipped to shape easily and thoroughly enjoy being kept in a formal fashion which is why they are so well suited to pleaching as well as other formal shapes. Suitable for planting in large gardens, parks, coastal areas and commercial sites we offer them as clear stem trees, specimen solitaire trees and feathered trees. If clipped and managed either as topiary or as a formed tree they will suit a small to medium sized garden.