Holm Oak

Quercus ilex

Digital Photograph of a Holm Oak taken in Woodstock Estate, Inistioge, County Kilkenny

Quercus ilex

Digital Photograph of a Holm Oak taken in Woodstock Estate, Inistioge, County Kilkenny

Common Name: Evergreen Oak, Holm Oak.

Description: The Holm Oak makes a large tree with a corrugated dark bark. The leathery leaves are dark glossy green above and downy and gray below. They may be toothed or smooth. The adult tree has rounded billowing form. The Holm Oak is one of the largest non-coniferous evergreens that we can grow in Ireland.

Origin: The Holm Oak is widespread in Mediterranean areas and SW Europe. It is highly tolerant of coastal exposure and can be clipped. Introduced in the 16th Century it rapidly became a staple of large estate gardens.

The largest specimen in Woodstock is 22m in height.