Holm oak

The holm oak is an evergreen oak with a typical dark grey bark and dark green, leathery, spiny leaves. Young twigs are white-felted. The holm oak is native to the Mediterranean region and grows best on calcareous soil. This species has never been planted in the dunes, but it regularly occurs via 'escapes' from gardens. Birds probably spread the acorns, after which the holm oaks germinate in numerous types of dunes, such as dune forest, dune scrub and dune grassland.