Quercus suber (species)
- Scope note
- Species of medium sized evergreen oak native to southwest Europe and northwest Africa, cultivated in Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria. The tree has a thick, insulating bark that helps it to recover quickly after forest fire; branches, having been protected from the fire by cork, quickly resprout and recompose the tree canopy, while other trees regrow from shoots or seeds. The lightweight, buoyant outer bark of the cork oak is used for stopping bottles, flooring, and many other purposes commercially. No trees are cut down during the harvesting process: the outer bark is stripped about every 10 years, and a new layer of cork grows.
- Date of creation: 18-Nov-2024
Accepted term: 18-Nov-2024