Courtesy of nurseryman Hugo Maes - The unstoppable rise of the holm and fair oak tree

The unstoppable rise of holm and kermes oak in Flemish and Walloon gardens is mainly due to the work of one man: perennial grower Hugo Maes from Waregem. As one of the few in our country, he has devoted himself to the cultivation of this hardy woody plant from Southern Europe and North Africa. He is an advocate of the use of holm oak in hedges or in massifs, a particularly beautiful, strong and full-fledged alternative to the holly hedge, yew or hornbeam, but especially to the boxwood hedge that has had a hard time in our regions in recent years.

Durable and decorative

Holm oak is characterized by its thick, leathery, dark green leaves with felt-gray, silvery undersides. In late spring, holm oak blooms with an abundance of soft yellow flowers. The leaves can be smooth-edged or holly-toothed. Quercus ilex is evergreen, but may partially lose its leaves during extended periods of cold, which are, however, immediately replaced by young and fresh leaves. This evergreen aspect makes the holm oak particularly suitable for planting in hedge form. 

Own cultivation

Every year, Hugo Maes travels to the south of France to collect ripe acorns from the holm oak. He lets them germinate and grow into hedge shrubs himself. By meticulously selecting the seeds, the domestically grown holm oak has much smaller leaves than the Italian import specimens. This allows the plants to get used to our climate and soil conditions and is hardy to at least -18°C. 

 Regular pruning and meticulous care of the young plants ensures that they grow into nicely branched and dense specimens, which, after transplanting, quickly take hold in their new environment. Unlike other hedge shrubs, Quercus ilex is impervious to disease, infestation or harmful insects. 

Hugo Maes' years of pioneering work have led more and more landscapers to stipulate in their specifications that plants must be of Belgian origin, specifically because of their leaf shape and size.

For any garden

The holm oak in hedge form can be used in almost any garden as an impenetrable garden fence. Pruning twice a year keeps hedges nice and tight in shape. Looser pruning forms are also possible, where one pruning is sufficient. They can also be used to create beautiful, intimate garden rooms. Quercus ilex also feels at home in a salty and often windy maritime climate and is therefore often planted as a resistant and evergreen windbreak.

The little brother

The kermes oak or Quercus coccifera is a miniature version of Quercus ilex, and is also called holly oak because of its small, hard and spiny leaves. Quercus coccifera is smaller and more compact in every way than the holm oak. In the south, it is abundant as impervious undergrowth in the forests. In spring, the kermes oak shows a soft bronze color. In our regions, kermes Oak is a valuable alternative to traditional box planting. As a low-maintenance ground cover, it is also particularly attractive as undergrowth for trees.
of holm oak.

Ideal for our climate

Climate change is drawing nearer and nearer, including in our part of the world. Extremes are rearing their heads with increasing frequency. Periods of excessive rainfall alternate with scorching heat and drought. Many plants struggle with this, but not the holm oak or the kermes oak. Quercus feels at home in our climate and will thrive perfectly in all conditions, as long as the soil is calcareous and permeable enough.