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Quercus ilex, the holly oak, also (ambiguously, as many oaks are evergreen) evergreen oak, is a large evergreen oak native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the section Ilex of the genus, with that mature in a single summer.
The closely related species Quercus rotundifolia was previously thought to be a subspecies of Q. ilex, but is now more often treated as a separate species. Some authors still describe Quercus rotundifolia as a subspecies of Quercus ilex.
The holm oak is one of the top three trees used in the establishment of truffle orchards, or truffières. Truffles grow in an ectomycorrhizal association with the tree's roots.
The first trees to be grown from acorns in England are still to be found within the stately grounds of Mamhead Park, Devon. From Britton & Brayley in The Beauties of England and Wales (1803):
The woods and plantations of Mamhead are numerous and extensive. Many of them were introduced by Mr Thomas Balle (sic), the last of that family who, on returning from the continent, brought with him a quantity of cork, ilex, wainscot, oak; Spanish chestnut, acacia, and other species of exotic trees.Britton, J. & Brayley, E. W. (1803). Beauties of England & Wales. Vol. 4: Devon & Cornwall, Devonshire, p. 99. Various publishers.
Holm oak is not officially listed as an invasive species in the United Kingdom but is naturalised, able to naturally regenerate. Normally the tree is unable to withstand severe frost, which would prevent it from spreading north, but with climate change, it has successfully penetrated and established itself in areas north of its native range.BBC News, 2008 The largest population of holm oak in Northern Europe is present on and around St. Boniface Down on the Isle of Wight and into the neighbouring town of Ventnor, a town known for its naturally warmer microclimate, and has shown to tolerate the high winds on the downs. It is thought that this population's propagation (which was established in the late 1800s after having been planted by Victorian residents) has been bolstered by native ( Garrulus glandarius), which harvest acorns from oak trees and store them by burying them in the ground where they may then germinate. Feral goats were brought to Ventnor to control the spread of the holm oak.
It can be clipped to form a tall hedge, and it is suitable for coastal , in any well drained soil. It forms a picturesque rounded head, with pendulous low-hanging branches. Its size and solid evergreen character gives it an imposing architectural presence that makes it valuable in many urban and garden settings. While holm oak can be grown in much of maritime northwestern Europe, it is not tolerant of cold continental winters. It is a parent of Quercus × turneri, along with Quercus robur.
Holm oak was introduced to California in 1858 and is now a widely planted and locally naturalised species; it is often called "holly oak" there.
The oldest holm oak in Spain, the Encina Tres Patas de Mendaza, located in Navarre, is reputed to be 1,200 years old. A specimen in Milo, in Sicily, is reputed to be 700 years oldSee the article about the tree while a small population on the slopes of northern village of Wardija in Malta are said to be between 500 and 1,000 years old. Prior to the Carthaginian period, holm oak was prevalent on the islands.Flora of the Maltese Islands, Hans Christian Weber, Bernd Kendzior, 2006, Margraf Publishers p. 184
Several holm oaks sit atop the 45 metre (148 ft) tall, 14th century Guinigi Tower in Lucca, Italy, making it a notable tourist attraction for the city.
The Roman poet Horace predicted that the ilex growing on his farm would become famous when he included it in his hymn to the Spring of Bandusia there (Odes 3.13.12–16):
fies nobilium tu quoque fontium,
me dicente cavis impositam ilicem
saxis, unde loquaces
lymphae desiliunt tuae.
(You will become one of the famous springs, too,
Now that I am telling of the ilex planted over your stone
Hollows, where your babbling
Waters leap down.)
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