Southern silky oak, silk oak or Australian silver oak. This is fast growing evergreen tree from Australia. Although it's common name is Oak it is only distantly related to our oaks, Quercus. They have been planted in southern Portugal for many years as an ornamental, for forestry and as windbreaks and as an urban street tree. They are extremely tolerant of soil type and require only seasonal rainfall to survive once established. Having said this, they often only reach 5 metres in unfavourable conditions, whereas they are known as a fast growing tree that will reach 30 metres in the right conditions. They flower profusely from September to November, the bright rusty orange colours dominate the crown. They shed much of their foliage just before flowering giving the impression of half flowers, half foliage, in the crown.

When first planted they can be susceptible to frosts so need some protection in the first years. After this they are frost hardy to - 8C . We would advise watering them in the first years in the hottest months. They can be a bit scruffy in their younger form so the sooner they mature the better. Give them plenty of room, pruning them later usually ruins the crown as the regrowth rarely follows the natural form of the tree.