Plant Details

Quercus ilex

Holly Oak

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Common names

44 names · 31 languages
EnglishYour language
Other languages (30)
Dutch
French
Afrikaans
Albanian
Asturian
Basque
Catalan
  • Alzina[1]
  • Alzina de fulla llarga[1]
  • Alzina litoral[1]
+1 more nameShow fewer names
  • Alzina vera[1]
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Croatian
  • Hrast crnika[1]
Czech
  • dub cesmínovitý[1]
  • dub cesmínovitý pravý[1]
Danish
Finnish
  • rautatammi[1]
German
  • Grün-Eiche[1]
  • Stein-Eiche[1]
  • Steineiche[1]
Greek
  • Δρυς η Αριά[1]
  • Δρύς η Ίληξ[1]
Hebrew
  • אלון הגלעין[1]
Hungarian
  • Magyaltölgy[1]
Italian
Japanese
  • セイヨウヒイラギガシ[1]
Lithuanian
  • Akmeninis ąžuolas[1]
Polish
  • dąb ostrolistny[1]
Portuguese
  • azinheira-atlântica[1]
  • azinheira-costeira[1]
Russian
  • Дуб каменный[1]
Slovak
  • dub cezmínovitý[1]
Slovenian
  • črničevje[1]
Spanish
  • Encina mediterránea[1]
Swedish
Thai
  • โอ๊กโฮล์ม[1]
Turkish
  • Pırnal Meşe[1]
Ukrainian
  • Дуб кам'яний[1]
Sources & name notes (1)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Quercus ilex — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • chêne vert — results[2].names[1]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • yeuse — results[2].names[2]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • Leccio — results[2].names[3]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • Holm oak — results[2].names[4]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • holly oak — results[2].names[5]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • Encina mediterránea — results[2].names[6]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • Alzina litoral — results[2].names[7]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • Alzina vera — results[2].names[8]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • Alzina — results[2].names[9]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • Steeneik — results[2].names[10]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • dub cesmínovitý — results[2].names[11]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • ancina — results[2].names[12]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • dub cesmínovitý pravý — results[2].names[13]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • Дуб каменный — results[2].names[14]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • セイヨウヒイラギガシ — results[2].names[15]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • stenek — results[2].names[16]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • 冬青櫟 — results[2].names[17]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • 冬青栎 — results[2].names[18]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • Δρυς η Αριά — results[2].names[19]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • Δρύς η Ίληξ — results[2].names[20]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • azinheira-costeira — results[2].names[21]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • azinheira-atlântica — results[2].names[22]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • Sten-eg — results[2].names[23]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • 圣栎 — results[2].names[24]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • 聖櫟 — results[2].names[25]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • črničevje — results[2].names[26]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • Akmeninis ąžuolas — results[2].names[27]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • Дуб кам'яний — results[2].names[28]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • โอ๊กโฮล์ม — results[2].names[29]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • Hrast crnika — results[2].names[30]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • Magyaltölgy — results[2].names[31]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • ilqe — results[2].names[32]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • אלון הגלעין — results[2].names[33]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • Pırnal Meşe — results[2].names[34]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • rautatammi — results[2].names[35]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • dąb ostrolistny — results[2].names[36]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • evergreen oak — results[2].names[37]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • dub cezmínovitý — results[2].names[38]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • Artea — results[2].names[39]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • Alzina de fulla llarga — results[2].names[40]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • holmeik — results[2].names[41]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • Steineiche — results[2].names[42]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • Stein-Eiche — results[2].names[43]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.
  • Grün-Eiche — results[2].names[44]; taxon id 78805; Quercus ilex.

General information

Scientific name: Quercus ilex
Accepted name (Kew): Quercus ilex L. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Botanical family: Fagaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Quercus (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Holly Oak
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Nut tree
Catalogue size class: Large
Height: 25.00 m
Spread: 20.00 m
Growth rate: Slow
Foliage: Evergreen

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 6-10
Soil moisture:
Moist
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Partial shade, Full sun

Uses

Edible parts:
Oil, Seed
Edibility rating:
(5)
Medicinal rating:
(2)
Functions:
Hedge, Oil, Repellent, Windbreak, Wood, Carbon farming

Description

Seeds can be eaten raw or cooked and vary in flavor from sweet to bitter. They can be dried and ground into a powder, which can be used as a thickening agent in stews or mixed with grain to make bread. Some tree seeds contain bitter tannins that can be removed by thoroughly washing the seed in running water, although this may also result in the loss of minerals. Seeds can be used whole or dried and ground into powder. It can take some time to properly dehusk seeds; one method is to wrap them in a cloth and place them in a stream. Leaching the powder is quicker. A simple taste test can determine when the tannins have been washed out. A traditional method of preparing seeds was to bury them in moist soil and let them winter over. The sprouted seed would be dug up in the spring, when most of the contracting properties had been lost. Roasted seeds can serve as a coffee substitute. Edible oil can be extracted from seeds. In Morocco, there is a population of Quercus suber trees in the Mamora forests that produce only sweet acorns, which can be eaten raw and resemble raw chestnuts. The skin of the acorns can be easily removed. There are also tannin-free acorns found in the Moroccan forests of Quercus ilex, of which the local population claims that about 20% are sweet.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/10
Harvest ends: 31/03

Crown

Crown shape: Narrow pyramidal
Crown density: Dense crown

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 152857; name ID 171386; Quercus L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1088545; name ID 173162; Quercus ilex L..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.