27 – Quercus suber

Quercus suber L.

Cork oak

Scientific name: Quercus suber L.

Family: Fagaceae

Origin: Mediterranean

Year planted: Beginning of the garden, before 1930

Flowering: May – Jun

Description

It is a fairly large tree, up to 15 metres. It has evergreen, ovate (egg-shaped), dark green, glossy leaves.

The flowers can be male or female and are borne on the branches. The male flowers are borne in small clusters, and the female flowers are borne singly.

The female flowers produce the fruit: dark brown acorns.

Marimurtra’s specimen

It is 9 metres high and 7 metres wide. You will find it in the Mediterranean garden area. It is original from the holm oak, cork oak and pine forests before the creation of the Botanical Garden.

Did you know that…?

In the Mediterranean climate, fires are very frequent during the summer.

The bark of the oak protects it from these fires. The interior is protected and when the fire is over, the tree can sprout again.

This bark is also used to make cork for bottle stoppers, insulating materials, cork paper… Spain is the second country in the world in cork production, after Portugal. But since the middle of the 20th century cork is no longer used as much. Now plastic is used more.

This has led to the abandonment of cork oak groves and the disappearance of some trades related to cork.

Threat level (UICN)

Main uses

Raunkiaer Life Forms