Holly Oak

Holly Oak (Quercus ilex) is the oak to plant when you want the shade and the presence without the winter bare patch. It reaches about 10m tall and 8m wide and holds small dark evergreen leaves year round.

Why you'll love it

• An oak that stays dressed. Shade in summer, and a solid green canopy through winter rather than bare branches.
• Built for exposed sites. Coastal and salt tolerant, wind tolerant, heat tolerant, drought tolerant and frost hardy, a rare combination in one tree.
• It takes the shears. Small leaves and dense growth let it run as a clipped hedge, a raised screen, or a natural crown.
• Nothing much to do. No leaf drop to rake in one hit, no annual spraying, one trim a year at most.

Where it works best

Shade tree. One tree throws dense, reliable shade over a lawn or a paddock corner. Allow at least 8m of clear width for the crown.

Hedging and screening. Plant 2m apart in a single row. The canopies meet without crowding, and the row can be clipped flat or left informal.

Windbreaks and coastal blocks. Salt and wind tolerance make it a front line tree on exposed ground. A double staggered row at 2m spacing filters wind rather than stopping it dead.

Driveways and avenues. Matched trees at 8m to 10m centres read formally and hold that look for decades.

Growing Holly Oak in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun. It is at home in Mediterranean, warm temperate, cool temperate and arid or semi-arid gardens, so most of southern Australia and the drier inland suit it well. It is frost hardy and needs no protection once in the ground.

Soil. It accepts thin, rocky and alkaline ground, but not sitting water. On heavy ground plant on a raised mound and improve a wide area rather than a deep hole. Mulch 75mm deep, clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak weekly for the first two summers so the roots go down rather than sideways, then taper to occasional deep watering in drought. A light dressing of complete fertiliser each spring for the first few years is enough.

Pruning. Shape in late winter before the spring flush. Hedges take one trim after the spring growth and a tidy up in late summer. It reshoots from older wood, so an overgrown tree can be brought back.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in two sizes, a 400mm pot and a 45L, both young trees with a leader and a developing head rather than a finished canopy. Holly Oak is a slow grower, so start with the largest size your budget allows: the 45L puts you a couple of seasons ahead.

Trees are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse evergreen trees for year round cover
• Compare windbreak plants for exposed blocks
• How to plant and maintain a formal hedge
• Choosing trees for a driveway or avenue

Common questions

How fast does it grow?

Slowly, and that is the honest answer. Expect modest extension in the first two years while roots establish, then steadier growth, which is why it holds a clipped shape so well.

How far apart for a hedge or screen?

Two metres apart in a single row. Closer planting does not close the gap faster and makes watering and feeding the row harder as the trees mature.

Is it safe for dogs?

Not entirely. The acorns are toxic to dogs if eaten, so this is not the tree for a yard where a dog picks up and chews whatever drops.