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ShrubsTrees

Quercus baloot

A very slow-growing shrub or small evergreen tree. The leaves are almost round in shape, dark glossy green on top and pale green below. On the outside of the bush, the leaves are very spiny but smooth-edged on the inside. The acorns are small and round and more than half covered by their cup

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Ultimate height

4–8 metres

Time to ultimate height

20–50 years

Ultimate spread

4–8 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Fagaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Spreading branched, Bushy
Potentially harmful: Pets (dogs): Harmful if eaten - for further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus: Quercus can be deciduous or evergreen trees or shrubs, with entire, lobed or toothed leaves; flowers inconspicuous, followed by characteristic acorns; sometimes good autumn colour
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in any well-drained but moisture-retentive soil in good light. For more advice see tree cultivation

Propagation

Propagate from seed, soon after it drops.

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Hedging and screens
Banks and slopes

Pruning

Pruning group 1

Pests

May be susceptible to oak processionary moth, aphids, caterpillars, leaf-mining moths and oak gall wasps

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews and honey fungus

Get involved

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