Everything about Cork Oak totally explained
The
Cork Oak (
Quercus suber) is a medium-sized,
evergreen oak tree in the section
Quercus sect. Cerris. It is native to southwest
Europe and northwest
Africa.
It grows to up to 20 m, although it's typically more stunted in its native environment. The leaves are 4 to 7 cm long, weakly lobed or coarsely toothed, dark green above, paler beneath, with the leaf margins often downcurved. The
acorns are 2 to 3 cm long, in a deep cup fringed with elongated scales.
The tree forms a thick, rugged and corky bark. Over time this bark can develop considerable thickness and this can be harvested every 10 to 12 years as
cork. The harvesting of cork doesn't harm the tree and a new layer of cork regrows, making it a renewable resource. The tree is widely cultivated in
Spain,
Portugal,
Algeria,
Morocco,
France,
Italy and
Tunisia. Cork Oak forests cover approximately 25,000 square kilometres in those countries. Portugal accounts for 50% of the world cork harvest. Cork Oaks can't legally be cut down in Portugal, except for
forest management felling of old, unproductive trees.
Cork Oaks live about 150 to 250 years. Virgin cork (or 'male' cork) is the first cork cut from generally 25 year old trees. Another 10 to 12 years is required for the second harvest, and a tree can be harvested twelve times in its lifetime. Cork harvesting is done entirely without machinery.
The European cork industry produces 340,000
tonnes of cork a year, with a value of
€1.5
billion and employing 30,000 people.
Wine corks represent 15% of cork usage by weight but 66% of revenues.
Cork Oaks are sometimes planted as individual trees, providing a minor income to their owners. The tree is also sometimes cultivated for ornament.
Hybrids with
Turkey Oak (
Quercus cerris) are regular, both in the wild in southwest Europe and in cultivation; the hybrid is known as Lucombe Oak
Quercus × hispanica.
Some cork is also produced in eastern
Asia from the related
Chinese Cork Oak (
Quercus variabilis).
Gallery
Image:Koeh-254.jpg|Botanical illustration showing foliage, male and female flowers, and acorn.
Image:Quercus fg04.jpg|Close-up of leaves.
Image:Quercus suber g4.jpg|Close-up of acorn.
Image:Quercus suber g3.jpg|Close-up of acorns, immature.
Image:quercus_suber_algarve.jpg|Cork Oak, showing the dark reddish bark shortly after harvesting (Algarve, Portugal)
Image:Quercus suber aka cork oak.jpg|Close-up of the characteristically corky bark
Image:Cork oak.JPG|Close-up at the margin of the harvest (Massif des Maures, France).
Image:Quercus suber corc.JPG|Harvested cork.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Cork Oak'.
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