Cork oak.

De un vistazo

Nivel de cuidados

Media

Tipo de planta

Evergreen tree

Luz

Full sun

Luz en interior

Sol directo

Riego

Cada 7 a 14 días

Tamaño adulto

20 to 30 meters

Ritmo de crecimiento

Lento

Rusticidad

USDA 7 a 10

Floración

Mid to late spring

Cuidados

Plant this tree in a spot with plenty of sun and well draining soil. Keep an eye out for signs of root rot if the soil stays wet for too long. It is quite drought tolerant once it gets established in your yard.

Riego

Water deeply but infrequently once the tree is established.

Abonado

Apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring to support healthy growth.

Poda

Remove dead or crossing branches during the dormant winter season.

Trasplante

Repot only if the tree is kept in a container and shows signs of being root bound.

Suelo

Sandy, acidic, well drained soil

pH del suelo

Acidic to neutral

Temperatura

-10 a 40°C

Humedad

40 a 70%

Seguridad

Personas

The plant is generally non-toxic, but the high tannin content in acorns can cause digestive upset if ingested.

Niños

Acorns pose a choking hazard to small children if swallowed.

Alérgenos por contacto

The leaves and bark are not known to cause contact dermatitis.

Alérgenos en el aire

The pollen is a significant airborne allergen during the spring flowering season.

Comestibilidad

Acorns are not for human consumption without extensive leaching to remove tannins.

Cómo identificarla

• Thick, deeply fissured corky bark
• Evergreen, leathery, oval shaped leaves
• Small, brown, oval shaped acorns
• Toothed or wavy leaf margins

Altura

10 a 20m

Anchura

8 a 15m

Hojas

dark green, grayish green, evergreen

Flores

yellowish green, 0,5 a 1cm

Frutos

brown, Autumn

Problemas frecuentes

• Phytophthora root rot — A soil-borne pathogen that causes root decay and tree decline.
• Oak borer — Larvae tunnel into the wood, weakening the structural integrity of the trunk.

Cómo cultivarla

Propagación

seed

Cuándo plantar

autumn, spring

Plant drought-tolerant Mediterranean shrubs beneath the canopy to mimic the natural understory of cork oak forests.

Buenas compañeras

• Cistus — These shrubs thrive in similar dry, Mediterranean conditions.
• Lavanda — They share a preference for full sun and well-drained soil.

Especies parecidas

• Quercus ilex — It is a closely related evergreen oak with similar environmental requirements.

Ciencia

Familia

Fagaceae

Género

Quercus

Orden

Fagales

Clase

Magnoliopsida

Distribución natural

Southwest Europe and Northwest Africa.

Conservación

This species is protected in parts of its native range due to the ecological importance of cork oak forests.

It is a fire-adapted species that thrives in Mediterranean climates with dry summers and mild, wet winters.

Valor para la fauna

provides shelter, food source for birds and mammals

Polinizadores

abejas, escarabajos

Usos

cork production, ornamental shade tree, wildlife habitat

Taxonomía cotejada con GBIF.

Lo que más preguntan

How often can you harvest the bark?

The bark is typically harvested every nine to twelve years.

Does it need full sun?

Yes, it thrives best in full sun with well-draining soil.

De dónde viene el nombre

The specific epithet suber is the Latin word for the cork oak itself.

Bueno saberlo

• Cork oak trees can live for over two hundred years.
• The bark is fire-resistant, helping the tree survive wildfires.
• Portugal is the world's leading producer of cork from this species.
• The tree does not reach maturity for cork harvesting until it is about twenty-five years old.