Quercus boissieri

Quercus boissieri a medium-sized, deciduous tree that originates from the east of the Mediterranean basin, and it even grows wild in Israel, mainly in the forests of the north and at its center: the mountains of Judea and Samaria, the Galilee, the Golan and the Hermon area. The trunk’s texture is very coarse, rough and significantly grooved, similar to the trunk of the Quercus ithaburensis. Compared to other oaks, the Q. boisseri tends to grow a single and relatively upright trunk. This feature of course greatly adds to its horticultural attractiveness. The leaves of the tree are simple, and their underside is gray and slightly hairy. It sheds its leaves relatively late after turning yellow. The tree’s fruit is of course an acorn, characterized by a cupule with a very delicate, flaky, almost smooth texture, which sits on the stem and not on a barb. The cupule is small relative to the acorn, which protrudes considerably from it. The acorn itself is relatively narrow and long compared to other Israeli acorns. It is not suitable for all parts of Israel and will do well in air-conditioned and cooler areas of the country. Q. boisseri is used as a habitat for various types of insects, which tend to form galls on the leaves. These galls have a reddish hue, which creates a more varied and interesting appearance of the tree in fall. Its Hebrew name is “alon tola” – literally, “scarlet oak.” Some say it got its name due to insects, but others say it’s because it would produce red galls that were also called “tola.”

More in the same family: Quercus suber | Quercus ithaburensis | Quercus ilex |Quercus robur | Quercus robur ‘Fastigiata’ | Quercus calliprinos | Quercus virginiana | Hybrid Quercus suber x Q. ithaburensis ‘Goliath’ | Chestnut oak | Quercus libani | Quercus boissieri | Hybrid Quercus suber x Q. libani ‘Eliyahu’