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Summary
Bloom Color: Brown. Main Bloom Time: Early spring, Late spring, Mid spring. Form: Rounded.
Physical Characteristics
Quercus_ilex is an evergreen Tree growing to 25 m (82ft) by 20 m (65ft) at a slow rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7. It is in leaf all year, in flower from May to June, and the seeds ripen from September to October. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Wind.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline and saline soils.
It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.
UK Hardiness Map
US Hardiness Map
Synonyms
Plant Habitats
Edible Uses
Seed - raw or cooked[1, 2, 46, 61]. It can be sweet or bitter[K]. The seed is up to 3cm long[200], it can be dried, ground into a powder and used as a thickening in stews etc or mixed with cereals for making bread. The seed from some trees contains bitter tannins, these can be leached out by thoroughly washing the seed in running water though many minerals will also be lost. Either the whole seed can be used or the seed can be dried and ground it into a powder. It can take several days or even weeks to properly leach whole seeds, one method was to wrap them in a cloth bag and place them in a stream. Leaching the powder is quicker. A simple taste test can tell when the tannin has been leached. The traditional method of preparing the seed was to bury it in boggy ground overwinter. The germinating seed was dug up in the spring when it would have lost most of its astringency. The roasted seed is a coffee substitute. An edible oil is obtained from the seed[183]. One reader noted the Q. suber population of the Mamora forest in Morocco contains only sweet acorns and can be eaten raw, it has a similar taste to raw chestnuts. The skin removes quite easyl Quercus ilex also exists with tannin-free acorns in the moroccan forests, the locals say around 20 percent are sweet.
References More on Edible Uses
Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Any galls produced on the tree are strongly astringent and can be used in the treatment of haemorrhages, chronic diarrhoea, dysentery etc[4].
References More on Medicinal Uses
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Other Uses
Landscape Uses: Specimen, Street tree. A mulch of the leaves repels slugs, grubs etc, though fresh leaves should not be used as these can inhibit plant growth[20]. Oak galls are excrescences that are sometimes produced in great numbers on the tree and are caused by the activity of the larvae of different insects. The insects live inside these galls, obtaining their nutrient therein. When the insect pupates and leaves, the gall can be used as a rich source of tannin, that can also be used as a dyestuff[4]. Very tolerant of maritime exposure and of trimming, it can be grown as a shelterbelt tree or hedge in maritime areas[11, 29, 49, 75]. Wood - strong, hard, durable. Used for furniture[46, 61, 89]. It makes a good charcoal[89] and a good fuel, burning well even if green[146]. The bark is a source of tannin[146]. Heat Zone: 9-2.
Special Uses
References More on Other Uses
Cultivation details
Prefers a good deep fertile loam which can be on the stiff side[11]. Thrives on shallow chalky soils[188]. Succeeds in all soils except those that are cold and poorly drained[98]. Grows well in sandy soils[188]. Young plants tolerate reasonable levels of side shade[200]. Very resistant to maritime exposure[11, 49, 75]. A very ornamental tree[1] but it is quite slow-growing[75]. Transplants badly unless moved regularly and this should be done as growth commences in late May or in September[11]. Fruits very freely in Britain[K]. The seed ripens in its first year[200]. The sub-species Q. ilex ballota is cultivated for its sweet-tasting edible seed in Portugal and Spain[K]. Hybridizes freely with other members of the genus[200]. This species is notably resistant to honey fungus[88, 200]. Special Features:
Not North American native, Inconspicuous flowers or blooms. The plant is heat tolerant in zones 9 through 2. (Plant Hardiness Zones show how well plants withstand cold winter temperatures.
Plant Heat Zones show when plants would start suffering from the heat.
The Plant Heat Zone map is based on the number of "heat days" experienced in a given area where the temperature climbs to over 86 degrees F (30°C).
At this temperature, many plants begin to suffer physiological damage. Heat Zones range from 1 (no heat days) to 12 (210 or more heat days).
For example Heat Zone. 11-1 indicates that the plant is heat tolerant in zones 11 through 1.) For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a standard with a non-suckering single trunk [1-2].
References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information
Temperature Converter
Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:
Fahrenheit:
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Plant Propagation
Seed - it quickly loses viability if it is allowed to dry out. It can be stored moist and cool overwinter but is best sown as soon as it is ripe in an outdoor seed bed, though it must be protected from mice, squirrels etc. Small quantities of seed can be sown in deep pots in a cold frame. Plants produce a deep taproot and need to be planted out into their permanent positions as soon as possible, in fact seed sown in situ will produce the best trees[11]. Trees should not be left in a nursery bed for more than 2 growing seasons without being moved or they will transplant very badly.
Other Names
If available other names are mentioned here
Native Range
TEMPERATE ASIA: Turkey. EUROPE: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece (incl. Crete), Croatia, Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily), Malta, Montenegro, Slovenia, Spain (incl. Baleares), France (incl. Corsica), Portugal, AFRICA: Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia.
Weed Potential
Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section.
Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :
Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.
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Botanical References
1189200
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