Quercus ilex

Remarkable Parisian tree: Holm oak (Quercus ilex), Parc Montsouris, Circumference: 245 cm, Height: 20 m.
Planted on a large alley near the weather station in the south of Parc Montsouris, this large sloping holm oak faces the evergreen sequoia. In the whole park, only two holm oaks are planted, the second one is on a lawn in front of the Guignol theatre. Tall and massive, it has a wide and irregular top made up of powerful and tortuous branches. It is covered with a cracked grey-brown bark. Its foliage is evergreen, which means that it remains green in winter. The oak's leaves are green, variable in shape, thick, and tough to withstand drought. They are usually oblong and sometimes have small prickly teeth. The underside of the grey-brown leaf is pubescent (covered with small hairs). The oak produces flowers in soft catkins that are drooping for the males and erect for the females. Its fruit, the acorn, can measure 3 centimetres and is protected by a cup (a kind of cup that covers the top of the acorn). Native to the Mediterranean region, this species is very long-lived, sometimes reaching 1500 years. The distribution of this species is increasing in northern France and is a sign of the climate changes taking place.
Observe the leaning silhouette of the holm oak. The gardener at Montsouris explains that it used to compete with a tree growing nearby. This one fell in the 1999 storm along with 84 other trees in the park, but the oak has been given free rein and its branches will spread out to rebalance its silhouette.