Quercus ilex
Quercus ilex
Safety & Hazards
All parts of the plant contain tannins. Whilst tannins are found in many foods, and have a range of medicinal uses. They are usually only present in low concentrations. In some foods made from oaks (particularly the seeds), the tannin content can be quite high unless the food is treated to reduce tannin content. Tannins are only of low toxicity and, because of their bitter taste and astringency, are unlikely to be eaten in large quantities. However, if they are taken in excess, they can cause stomach pains; constipation followed by bloody diarrhoea: excessive thirst; and excessive urination[ 293 Title Poisonous Plants of North Carolina Publication Author Website http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/poison.htm Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent concise but comprehensive guide to toxic plants that grow in N. Carolina. It lists even those plants that are of very low toxicity, including several well-known food plants such as carrots and potatoes. ].
Botanical Description
Quercus ilex is an evergreen tree with a broad, domed canopy of ascending branches; it usually grows up to 25 metres tall, occasionally reaching 30 metres. The often short bole can sometimes exceed 200cm in diameter[ 1228 Title European Atlas of Forest Tree Species Publication Author San-Miguel-Ayanz, J., de Rigo, D., Caudullo, G., Houston Dur Website http://10.2788/038466 Publisher European Commission Year 2016 ISBN 978-92-79-52833-0 Description An excellent guide to the forest trees of Europe. It can be downloaded from the Internet ]. The tree is harvested from the wild for mainly local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. It is often managed, especially in Iberia, for the production of acorns which have been used as a staple food in the past. It is also sometimes grown as a coppice in managed woodlands, the wood being mainly used for fuel and charcoal[ 1228 Title European Atlas of Forest Tree Species Publication Author San-Miguel-Ayanz, J., de Rigo, D., Caudullo, G., Houston Dur Website http://10.2788/038466 Publisher European Commission Year 2016 ISBN 978-92-79-52833-0 Description An excellent guide to the forest trees of Europe. It can be downloaded from the Internet ]. The tree is grown in large gardens and parks as an ornamental shade tree and can be trimmed and used as large hedges.