How to identify Cork oak (Quercus suber)
Cork oak reaches an impressive stature between 70 to 100 feet (21 to 30 meters) in height with an extensive spread equally wide. It features a prominent short trunk and heavily branched, rounded crown. Its distinctive bark is spongy and corky, practical in various commercial products. The outer bark has a pale gray hue with deeper reddish-brown crevices. Branches grow adorned with alternating, simple, ovate to elliptical leaves, dark green on the surface and pale with a fuzzy underside. These leaves boast sparsely toothed and wavy margins. During blooming, cork oak showcases yellow-green male catkins and clusters of female flowers. Fruits are acorns about 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm) long, with a textured, scaly cap.
Lifespan: Perennial
Plant Type: Tree
Leaf Type: Evergreen
Distinctive spongy and corky bark with a pale gray hue and deep reddish-brown crevices.
Oval to oblong acorns with a shaggy, cup-shaped cap, measuring 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm).
Alternating, ovate to elliptical leaves with dark green upper side and gray, hairy underside.
Light gray stem covered in fuzzy hairs, with reddish-brown buds and robust branching pattern.
Impressive stature reaching 70 to 100 feet (21 to 30 meters) with an equally wide crown.
The leaves of cork oak are evergreen and leathery, exhibiting a dark green color on the upper side and a gray, hairy texture underneath. They are oval to elliptic in shape, measuring 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) in length. The leaf margins are wavy and may range from smooth to sparsely toothed, often curving downward. These distinct features aid in the identification of cork oak leaves.
The flowers of cork oak exhibit distinct characteristics based on their gender. Male flowers form 2- to 3-inch (5 to 7.5 cm) long catkins, which are slender and hanging. Female flowers are small and grow in short clusters of 2 to 4 within the leaf axils. The color of both male and female flowers tends to be greenish, blending with the foliage. These flowers are generally not showy and lack a noticeable scent. Cork oak typically blooms in the spring.
The stem of cork oak is light gray with a distinctive covering of gray fuzzy hairs. This texture provides a unique tactile characteristic, easily identified by touch. The stem has reddish-brown, triangular, pointed buds that cluster along its length, each featuring a coating of gray fuzz. The thickness of the stem varies but is robust to support the tree's structure, presenting a pattern of branching crucial for identification.
The fruit of cork oak is a distinctive acorn with an oval to oblong and somewhat narrow form, typically measuring about 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm) in length. Characterized by a shaggy, cup-shaped cap, this textural feature envelops half of the nut, contributing to its unique appearance. The acorns exhibit a gradual maturation over one season before reaching full development.
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Scientific Classification of Cork oak
