Quercus suber
Specifications
Family
Fagaceae
Species
Quercus suber L.
cork oak
Description
The heartwood is reddish-brown and fades to a lighter sapwood, with a coarse texture, variable grain, and a density between 0.85 and 1.10. It is durable and has excellent mechanical resistance.
Plant morphology
It is a tree that can reach 20 meters in height. Its most striking feature is the notably thick rhytidome (the outermost layer of the bark), which forms a corky covering at the origin of the cork. The leaves are green and leathery, downy on the underside, short-petiolate, and have ovate to oblong blades. The unisexual flowers are borne separately on the plant: the male flowers are grouped in medium-sized catkins, while the female flowers are generally grouped in small, erect clusters. The fruit is an oval acorn.
Natural occurrence
Countries of origin and distribution
Western Mediterranean Basin: Spain, France, Italy, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Malta.
Habitat and ecology
A thermophilic species, it prefers warm, moderately dry environments and acidic soils, but also occasionally calcareous ones. It lives in temperate forests, associated with Pinus pinaster and other oak species, and in Mediterranean scrub.
Uses
Use class
CU1
CU2
CU3
CU4
CU5
Application areas
It is used in shipbuilding and is a very valuable fuel.
Threats and Conservation
Threats
In some areas, it is threatened by rural abandonment or overgrazing. In some African countries, it is threatened by overexploitation for cork production. The increased frequency of destructive fires and droughts poses a significant threat to the conservation of this species, especially given ongoing climate change.
Conservation measures
The species is conserved in 134 ex situ collections worldwide (BGCI 2017) and requires increased in situ conservation measures, particularly of its habitats.
IUCN Red List
IUCN
LC - Least Concern - Low Risk
CITES. Year of assessment
CITES
2017
1975
2050
CITES Italia • Ultimo aggiornamento
2017
Not present.
Technical data
Aesthetic characteristics
Grain
Slightly obvious
Texture
Coarse, Medium
Physical and mechanical properties
Density
ρ
ρ
1100
kg/m3
Radial shrinkage
Rad. sh.
Rad. sh.
High
Tangential shrinkage
Tang. sh.
Tang. sh.
High
Durability characteristics
Fungal resistance
Very durable
Insect resistance
Not resistant
Miscellaneous
The inner part of the bark has a high tannin content and was once used for tanning hides. Removing the bark used for cork production is a job that requires great skill to minimize damage to the plants.