Quercus pontica - Pontic Oak

Quercus pontica, the Armenian oak or Pontine oak, is a botanical species of small development that grows in the forests of the mountains of western Caucasus and northeastern Turkey. It forms a large bush or a small stout tree with a wide crown and has deciduous characteristic foliage, composed of very large tough leaves finely toothed resembling those of the chestnut tree. It is a slow-growing species well adapted to heat, wind, and soils with a tendency towards limestone. The last advantage of this unusual oak is its almost marcescent foliage, which, even when dry, remains attached to the branches for a long time.

The Armenian oak, also known as pleated oak, Pontine oak, or Pontic oak, belongs to the family of Fagaceae. In nature, it is found between 1,300 and 2,100 metres above sea level, in the mountain forests of the northern Near East, Armenia, and the Caucasus. It takes the form of a large bush or a taller tree, reaching up to 12 metres in height in rich soil. It is a species of warm temperate climate, which appreciates limestone soils, but fears prolonged drought.

The Armenian oak, which grows slowly (approximately 10 cm per year), reaches an average size of 5 metres in all directions in our gardens. It naturally forms several trunks but can be trained to have a single trunk. Its bark is grey and has long wrinkles. Its compact crown changes from a widely conical shape to a more rounded shape as it ages. Its branches are remarkably thick and erect. They are glabrous and often angular, with very large angular terminal buds of brown-yellow colour. The leaves, arranged alternately on the branches, are broadly elliptical to obovate in shape and remarkably large: they measure 15 to 25 cm in length and up to 10 cm in width. Their edges are lined with fine teeth. They have a "waxy" texture, with a shiny medium green colour on the upper side and grey-green on the underside. In autumn, they turn yellow to brownish-yellow and generally remain on the tree for a long time. The flowers appear in pendulous catkins, greenish-yellow, from May to June. The fruits are ovoid acorns about 2 cm long, half buried in the cupule. The Armenian oak has deep taproots and prefers a sunny and slightly sheltered exposure. It thrives in a dry to moist, well-drained, fertile, and slightly acidic to alkaline soil. While resistant to cold, it fears late frosts when young.

The Pontine oak is a tolerant species that acclimatises in regions that are not too harsh, as long as it is planted in a sufficiently loose and deep soil. It can be planted as a standalone tree, in a small grove, or as part of a large hedge, alongside the Montpellier maple, the holm oak Quercus ilex, the Portuguese laurel Prunus lusitanica, or the large Chinese Photinia Photinia serratifolia.