Quercus Ilex Holm oak

[doncasterpalmguy123]

Our land has been an oak dominated wonderland for a millenia and I'm sure we can all agree that our most brilliant native tree next to the king of the hardy palm world a trachycarpus would be a truly epic sight.

Well in the modern day we have another wonderful oak to worship, a beautiful hardy and evergreen oak. Ladies and gentlemen may I present to you the holm oak!! A great almost eucalyptus looking evergreen tree with smooth pinnate leaves, tall growing trunks and the all too recognisable acorns in the autumn.

Has anyone got any experience growing them?? I have recently found some mature trees in my local area and at first glance thought they were a eucalyptus species. Of course I had to go check them out and after seeing the acorns realised what they were. I collected a small frost damaged seedling, a seed and a cutting. The seedling has been frost damaged or trampled as the top growth is dead but hopefully it will be ok. I've grew native oaks before but if anyone has any experience with them I would deeply appreciate tips

[Blairs]

Not personally grown them but they are worthy trees for gardens if prunes. I used to pass a mature Holm every day at uni:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... 226426.jpg

http://tour-scotland-photographs.blogsp ... -tree.html

They must be very hardy to have survived almost 300 winters.

There is also a far older Hawthorn tree planted by Mary Queen of Scots almost 500 years ago to the west of it.

[samj]

Ive planted 20 amongst a shelter belt, they have not been at all fussy and are growing more quickly than I was expecting (but I will still be waiting a long time for them to get to a decent height!)

[Kristen]

I have a hedge of them ... more commonly found [as a hedging plant] near sea I think (presumably they have some salt tolerance)

http://kgarden.wordpress.com/projects/holm-oak-walk/

At East Ruston they have chopped down their North-side shelter belt of Monterey Pines (done their job I presume, although they still have them [tops now chopped off] on the other sides) and replaced them with Holm Oaks