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Heritage Trees
The Lucombe Oak, Quercus x hispanica ‘Lucombeana’
1773
The Lucombe Oak was originally raised in a nursery in Exeter by
Mr Lucombe in 1762 as a cross between Q. cerris and Q.
suber. It is unusual in the fact that it keeps its leaves
over winter. This was one of the first saplings raised by Lucombe
and although the tree produces fertile acorns the resulting plants
vary considerably. The Kew specimen was planted some time around
1773, but was moved in 1846 as it stood in the way of the proposed
Syon Vista, designed by William Nesfield, which radiates off the
rear doors of the Palm House. It was transplanted 20 metres south
to make way for the new plantings of Q. ilex. It was reported
that Mr Lucombe was so taken by this tree that he later felled
the original specimen to provide wood for his own coffin and kept
the boards under his bed until he died.
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