Quercus Ilex AKA Holm Oak Options Explained
90-120cm: 3-7 Litre pot, 1-2 years old, 90-120cm tall at delivery. Likely to be a single stem.
125-150cm: 7-9 Litre pot, 2-3 years old, 125-150cm tall at delivery. Likely to be half standard.
150-180cm: 9-12 Litre, 2-3 years old, 150-180cm tall at delivery, likely to be half standard.
Multi Stem: 15-20 Litre pot, 120-180cm tall at delivery and more than one stem!
Girth 6-8cm: Standard,25L pot, *Roughly 210-260cm tall. 180-200cm clear stem and 30-60cm crown.
Girth 8-10cm: Standard,25-30L pot, *Roughly 220-280cm tall. 180-200cm clear stem and 40-80cm crown.
Girth 10-12cm: Standard,35L pot, *Roughly 230-290cm tall. 180-200cm clear stem and 50-90cm crown.
Girth 12-14cm: Standard,50-70L pot, *Roughly 280-350cm tall. 180-200cm clear stem and 100-150cm crown.
Girth 14-16cm: Standard,70-110L pot, *Roughly 280-380cm tall. 180-200cm clear stem and 100-180cm crome
Girth 16-18cm: Standard,90-110L pot, *Roughly 300-400cm tall. 180-200cm clear stem and 120-200cm crome.
*Heights are given as a very rough guideline and can have considerable variation based on species and supplier (each nursery experiences different growing conditions) It may even have been pruned before being sent out so we can only guarantee girth. Trees over 5.5m may include a delivery surcharge based on location and species.
Once a mature Quercus Ilex is over around 200cm/4 years old then girth is the best measure of value for money. For every girth measurement increment e.g. 6-8cm to 8-10cm (roughly 12-18months growth), the canopy will be wider, stronger, bushier and the root system larger as it has experienced 12-18 months growth. You can notice larger root systems with potted versions because the pot size increases with maturity. As a very general rule, each one cm girth measurement represents around 30cm growth but this doesn't apply to slow-growing trees.
Multistem means several stems starting very low to the ground. Comparing these with the same age Standard and Half Standard, these are typically shorter as growing several stems takes more effort than one stem.
Standard and Half Standard means lollipop shape. There is a more clear stem with a Standard.
Quercus Ilex Holm Oak
An interesting evergreen oak, Holm Oak is a conical shaped tree with dark green foliage. It has attractive smooth darkish-grey bark. Early summer marks the arrival of new leaves, which are a silvery-white colour before turning green. Furry golden-yellow coloured catkins are of interest and typical of oak trees, acorns will be formed.
Should you wish to have a life similar to Robin Hood but a little more politically correct e.g. lean more towards the giving and no where near the robbing, then this is a great tree to live in. The all year round leaves provide a great hiding place and you will probably surprise a lot of squirrels which is always great amusement. No need to decorate your place with artificial plants, just bend a branch in to where you are sat. Who knows, you may get to surprise another squirrel.
An attractive tree which will tolerate salt spray and strong winds, and is quite frequently planted as a hedge or in avenues in coastal towns. Expect a final height of 28m (93ft), so unless trimmed, better suited to the larger garden.
Holm Oak is supplied at a height of between 1.25m-175cm in a 5-12L container, which means that the tree has an already established root system and therefore this tree can be planted any time of the year and with better results than either bare-root or root balled trees. Message card included at no additional cost if required.
Should you require more than one tree then you may want to look at our WHOLESALE OAK TREE section. Click OAK HEDGING for the obvious hedging section.
Multiple Order Discount
Orders over £450 for 150cm+ trees might be discounted by contacting us
Ornamental Tree Roots In The Shade e.g. Behind A Fence
It is more important that that foliage (posh term for leaves) receives the sunlight than the roots. So if the canopy of your ornamental tree can sunbathe but the bottom of your tree thinks there has been a nuclear winter then that is ok. You might want to ensure you have good drainage as water and no sun is the start of algae and other such issues.
Early Autumn Leaf Fall
Heat stress, being potted, lack of water, being boxed up for a few days etc can cause early Autumn leaf fall. Once planted, normal service will resume next season.
Do I Need To Stake My Ornamental Tree?
9 out of 10 times the answer will be no, especially if under 200cm tall. However our article on Tree Staking should help guide you.
Climate Change
Climate Change has increased aesthetic foliage issues such as Powdery Mildew, Shothole, Rust, frost damage etc These are not terminal issues and will usually last a season or less. All trees are inspected before being sent out to ensure they are fundamentally healthy and will bounce back.
