Friends of Belfast Botanic Gardens

Tree of the month series - this series of short articles about trees in the Belfast Botanic Gardens is compiled by members of the Friends group and Gardens staff. We aim to build up to a comprehensive archive of trees in Belfast Botanic Gardens. Each article will illustrate a tree growing in Belfast Botanic Gardens together with information from a range of sources. Click here to view the tree archive

Tree of the Month, March 2010

Mirbeck's Oak (or Algerian oak)

Quercus canariensis

Jon Pilcher

This unusual oak keeps most of its leaves through the winter as this photograph taken in February shows. In spite of the latin name it is not a native of the Canary Islands, but of Southern Spain and North Africa. Although seldom seen, it grows well in England and Ireland and is completely frost-hardy. The leaves are glossy green, much brighter in colour than other evergreen oaks such as Quercus ilex. When new shoots and leaves are produced in the spring there is a striking contrast between the yellowish new leaves and the strong green old leaves. The bark is less strongly fissured than that of our native oaks (Q. robur and Q. petraea) and the acorn cups are wiskered.

The fine example in Belfast Botanic Gardens is beside the path from the Malone Road gate to the Palm House

Mirbeck's oak in Belfast Botanic Gardens - February	Mirbeck's oak in Belfast Botanic Gardens - spring
Old and new leaves of Mirbeck's oak in spring	Wiskered acorn cup of Mirbeck's oak
Leaves of Mirbeck's oak in February	Bark of Mirbeck's oak

Photos taken in 2010 in Belfast Botanic Gardens. Copyright Jon Pilcher