Quercus turneri Spencer Turner - Hybrid Oak

Quercus x turneri 'Spencer Turner' is a variety of the Turner oak whose foliage remains evergreen in winter. This hybrid between the holly oak and the pedunculate oak combines the foliage of the latter, broad and lobed, with the glossy finish of the former. Its moderate development, easily contained by pruning, as well as its slow growth, make it suitable for small gardens. Another advantage of this bushy oak is its spring flowering, in the form of almost white catkins, which are well highlighted by the dark foliage. It is a sturdy, hardy plant that is easy to grow in ordinary, deep, even chalky soil.

The Turner oak belongs to the Fagaceae family. It was discovered in England, in Mr. Turner's nursery, before 1783. The pseudoturneri variety (now renamed 'Spencer Turner') appeared around 1880 in the same nursery. This tree of reasonable dimensions combines the qualities of its two parents. The growth of this oak is slow; it will reach maturity around 30 years, forming, depending on the pruning practiced, a small tree 9m (29ft 6in) tall and 6m (19ft 8in) wide, or a large bush not exceeding 5m (16ft 5in) in all directions. Its habit, rather erect in its youth, becomes conical and rounded over the years. Its very short trunk carries a large, oval and dense crown. In this oak, the young branches are pale yellow in colour and covered with felt-like down. The older bark is brownish-grey in colour, with a channelled appearance. The evergreen leaves fall when the young leaves appear in spring. They resemble Quercus robur in shape, measuring 5 to 13cm (2 to 5.1in) long and 2.5 to 4cm (1 to 1.6in) wide, with 4 to 8 pairs of shallow lobes or teeth. The lamina is dark green and shiny on the upper side, while the underside is more grey and pubescent, like Quercus ilex. The bright and abundant flowering takes place in May, on individuals at least 10 years old. Like the holly oak, this flowering truly illuminates the tree in spring. After wind pollination, ovoid acorns, 1.5 to 2cm (0.6 to 0.8in) long, form in place of the female catkins. Each tomentose peduncle gathers 1 to 8 fruits enclosed in a cupule. They will ripen in one year. The root system of this oak is deep and powerful, of the taproot type, ensuring a solid and lasting grip in the deep soils it appreciates.

Quercus x turneri 'Spencer Turner' adapts to most of our regions, as long as it is planted in sufficiently deep soil. Resistant to cold, not demanding in terms of soil and watering, and perfectly tolerant of pruning, it allows the spirit of the forest to enter a garden, even when space is limited. It can be planted individually or in rows, as a shrubbery, or in an evergreen hedge with companions such as Elaeagnus ebbingei, bay laurel, or Photinia. To accompany its beautiful dark foliage, one can also choose from numerous spring-flowering shrubs such as Japanese cherry and apricot trees, ornamental apple trees, flowering peach trees, and many others.