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Trees

Quercus suber

cork oak

A slow-growing evergreen tree grown for its bark - this is the origin of cork - which develops into a craggy, fissured grey of great character. If some bark was to be harvested, it is brick red beneath until new bark forms.The leaves are dark glossy green above, pale and felty below. The acorns are long and slender, with less than a third held in a shaggy cup

Other common names

cork tree

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Ultimate height

Higher than 12 metres

Time to ultimate height

20–50 years

Ultimate spread

Wider than 8 metres

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Fagaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Spreading branched
Potentially harmful: Pets (dogs): Harmful if eaten - for further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus: Quercus can be deciduous or evergreen trees or shrubs, with entire, lobed or toothed leaves; flowers inconspicuous, followed by characteristic acorns; sometimes good autumn colour
Name status: Correct
Plant range: W Mediterranean

How to grow

Cultivation

Suited to large gardens and parkland. Grow in any well-drained but moisture-retentive soil in good light. For more information see tree cultivation.

Propagation

Propagate by seed soon after it drops or by semi-ripe cuttings in late summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural

Pruning

Pruning group 1

Pests

May be susceptible to oak processionary moth, aphids, caterpillars, leaf-mining moths and oak gall wasps

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews and honey fungus

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