Cork Oak
Quercus suber
Family: Fagaceae
What it is like
A medium sized tree. It grows to 20 m high. The branches are gnarled. The bark is thick and grey and has long cracks. The leaves are alternate and have spine tipped lobes. They are oval and 7 cm long by 4 cm wide. They are dark green on top and white underneath. The female flowers appear on young grey-green shoots. The acorns are in a loose shallow cup. They are 3 cm long.
There are about 600 Quercus species.
Where it is found
It is a temperate or Mediterranean plant. It grows naturally in the western Mediterranean. It suits hardiness zones 8-10. Arboretum Tasmania. In Melbourne Botanical Gardens. Kyneton Botanical Gardens. National Arboretum Canberra.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Algeria, Australia, Britain, Canada, East Africa, Europe, France, Mediterranean, Morocco, North Africa, North America, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, St Helena, Tasmania, Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe
How it is used for food
The acorns are roasted and eaten. The acorns give a special flavour to meat especially pork when fed to pigs.
It is cultivated.
Edible parts
Seeds, acorn, nuts
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Alcornoque, Hrast plutovec