Cork oak.

En un coup d'œil

Niveau d'entretien

Moyenne

Type de plante

Evergreen tree

Lumière

Full sun

Lumière en intérieur

Soleil direct

Arrosage

Tous les 7 à 14 jours

Taille adulte

20 to 30 meters

Croissance

Lente

Rusticité

USDA 7 à 10

Floraison

Mid to late spring

Entretien

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.

Arrosage

Water deeply but infrequently once the tree is established.

Engrais

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

Taille

Remove dead or crossing branches during the dormant winter season.

Rempotage

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

Sol

Sandy, acidic, well drained soil

pH du sol

Acidic to neutral

Température

-10 à 40°C

Humidité

40 à 70%

Sécurité

Humains

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

Enfants

Acorns pose a choking hazard to small children if swallowed.

Allergènes de contact

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

Allergènes aéroportés

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

Comestibilité

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

Comment l'identifier

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

Hauteur

10 à 20m

Envergure

8 à 15m

Feuilles

dark green, grayish green, evergreen

Fleurs

yellowish green, 0,5 à 1cm

Fruits

brown, Autumn

Problèmes courants

• 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.

La cultiver

Multiplication

seed

Quand planter

autumn, spring

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

Bonnes associations

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

Espèces similaires

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

Science

Famille

Fagaceae

Genre

Quercus

Ordre

Fagales

Classe

Magnoliopsida

Région d'origine

Southwest Europe and Northwest Africa.

Préservation

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.

Intérêt pour la faune

provides shelter, food source for birds and mammals

Pollinisateurs

abeilles, coléoptères

Utilisations

cork production, ornamental shade tree, wildlife habitat

Taxonomie vérifiée avec le GBIF.

Ce qu'on demande souvent

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.

D'où vient le nom

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

Bon à savoir

• 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.