Algerian Oak

Algerian Oak (Quercus canariensis) is the oak to plant when you want deep summer shade without stripping the garden bare all winter. It grows to about 12m tall and 8m across with a broad rounded crown, and it is semi deciduous: the leaves colour in autumn but hang on well into winter before the new growth pushes them off. It is slow and long lived, one to plant for the next forty years.

Why you'll love it

• Shade you can sit under. A crown around 8m across throws genuine shade over a lawn or a driveway at maturity.
• Half a winter of foliage. Being semi deciduous it holds old leaves far longer than an English oak, so it keeps presence through the cold months.
• Autumn colour. The foliage turns through gold and russet before it drops.
• Very hard to knock over. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, wind tolerant and comfortable in poor soil.

Where it works best

Shade tree. Allow the full 8m of clear width and keep it at least 6m from the house, so the crown develops evenly and roots stay clear of footings.

Driveways and avenues. Space trees 8m to 10m apart along a drive. Closer and the crowns compete, pushing the canopies up and apart instead of meeting overhead.

Feature planting. As a single lawn specimen it holds a large open space, with a heavy trunk and a rounded crown from a young age.

Growing Algerian Oak in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun and plenty of room. It suits cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens and is properly frost hardy, so cold inland and southern districts are no obstacle. It is not a tree for tropical or subtropical gardens.

Soil. It handles poor and shallow ground that would stall other large trees, provided the site drains. Break up compacted subsoil across a wide area rather than digging a deep narrow hole. Mulch 75mm deep out to the drip line.

Water and feed. Deep soak weekly through the first two summers, then taper off as it becomes drought tolerant. A slow release complete fertiliser in early spring for the first few years is enough.

Pruning. Formative pruning only. Establish a single strong leader early, remove crossing limbs while they are small, and lift the lower branches gradually for clearance beneath.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in four sizes: 400mm, 45L, 100L and 200L. The 400mm and 45L trees are young and slim, the sensible choice for an avenue where you are buying several. The 100L and 200L sizes arrive with real trunk calliper and read as a feature straight away.

Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, with specialist transport quoted where access is tight. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every tree carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare the best canopy trees for shade.
• Browse our advanced trees for larger sizes.
• See other trees for driveways and avenues.
• Look through plants with autumn colour.

Common questions

How fast does it grow?

Slowly, at roughly 300mm to 500mm a year once established. Buying a 100L or 200L tree is the practical way to skip the first decade of waiting.

Does it lose all its leaves?

Not the way a true deciduous oak does. It is semi deciduous, colouring in autumn and holding much of the old foliage through winter until the spring flush pushes it off.

Are the acorns a problem for dogs?

Acorns are toxic to dogs and can cause a blockage if swallowed whole, so this is not the tree for a yard where a dog chews everything. Rake them up through the drop.

How far from the house should I plant it?

At least 6m, and more if you can, given the 8m mature spread. That keeps limbs off the roof and roots away from footings and paving.