Holm oak
Quercus ilex
Its acorns are the essential food source for the free-roaming Iberian pigs, giving Jamón Ibérico de Bellota its prized, nutty flavor.
- Scientific name
- Quercus ilex
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Fagales › Fagaceae › Quercus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Mediterranean sclerophyllous forests, woodlands, garrigues, and traditional dehesa agroforestry systems.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (photosynthesis, drawing water and nutrients from the soil).
- Range
- Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Morocco, France
- Size
- 5 to 25 meters tall, with a broad, rounded crown.
- Lifespan
- 200 to 500 years, sometimes older.
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Oak decline (caused by Phytophthora root rot), severe droughts driven by climate change, and land clearing.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. You can freely approach, touch, and rest under the canopy of a Holm oak. Be mindful of falling acorns in autumn or dry branches during high winds. No special safety precautions needed.
Quercus ilex , the evergreen oak , holly oak or holm oak , is a large evergreen oak native to the Mediterranean region. It takes its name from holm, an ancient name for holly. It is a member of the Cerris section of the genus, with acorns that mature in a single summer.
Photo: Gianni Del Bufalo bygdb, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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