Holly / Holm Oak Hedge Plants

Holm Oak Hedging

Delivered by Mail Order Direct from our Nursery with a Year Guarantee

Holm or Holly Oak, Quercus ilex, is a lush evergreen tree will grow in any well drained soil and is equally happy by the sea or in the middle of a city.
The dark-green mature leaves look a little like young holly leaves, although they are grey on the undersides; in spring, the young leaves are silvery-grey all over and this display is followed by golden brown catkins in early summer.

It is very hardy, and evergreen in much of the UK, but it tends to drop its leaves in harsh winters in the North and Scotland. This is normal, although it may not come into leaf until late the following spring. For this reason, we like to recommend Portugal Laurel instead as hedging for colder regions.

Holm oak is quite fast-growing in sunny locations and shade tolerant. It is an excellent hedging plant and makes a good subject for topiary. It will reach 20-25 metres if it grows freely as a tree.

See our selection of coastal hedging or our full range of hedging plants.

Holm Oak hedge plants are only delivered pot-grown, year round and are graded by their height above the compost (the pots aren't measured).

Spacing a Holm Oak hedge: 

Plant Holm Oak hedging at 2 plants per metre, 50cm apart.

Did You Know? 

Holm Oak is a Mediterranean tree and its range extends eastwards as far as Pakistan. It was introduced to Northern Europe in the 1500's, and it is naturalised in parts of Ireland's & England's Southern coasts.
The timber is both hard and strong; in the past it was prized for heavy-duty uses like carts and roof beams.

Growing Holm Oak plants:
Holm Oak will grow well in any well drained soil. It is excellent on windy coastal sites with sandy or chalky soil but will not grow on wet soils. It is shade tolerant, but it will grow pretty slowly with less than half a day of full sun. If you are planting in an exposed area in the North or Scotland, Portugal Laurel hedging may be a better choice. Holm Oaks are resistant to air pollution. 

Prepare your site before planting:
If you are planting it as a hedge then watch our video on how to plant a garden hedge for full details. We also always recommend using mycorrhizal "friendly fungi" on the roots of new trees and shrubs.