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2nd harvest12/2/2023 ![]() Southern Portugal’s Alentejo region meets all of these requirements, which explains why, by the early 20th century, this region had become the world’s largest producer of cork, and why today it accounts for roughly half of all cork production around the world. Like grape vines, the trees thrive in poor soil, putting down deep root in search of moisture and nutrients. They flourish in warm, sunny climates where there is a minimum of 400 millimetres of rain per year, and no more than 800 millimetres. It also has an elasticity that means you can squash it and watch it spring back to its original size and shape when you release the pressure.Ĭork oaks grow in a number of Mediterranean countries, including Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece and Morocco. The cells are filled with air, which is why cork is so buoyant. Developed most probably as a defence against forest fires, the bark of the cork oak has a particular cellular structure - with about 40 million cells per cubic centimetre - that technology has never succeeded in replicating. Its bark grows up to 20 cm in thickness, insulating the tree like a coat wrapped around the trunk and branches and keeping the inside at a constant 20☌ all year round. It has also been used for millennia: the ancient Egyptians sealed then sarcophagi (stone coffins) with cork, while the ancient Greeks and Romans used it for anything from beehives to sandals.Īnd the cork oak itself is an extraordinary tree. It is tough, elastic, buoyant, and fire-resistant, and suitable for a wide range of purposes. Cork - the thick bark of the cork oak tree (Quercus suber) - is a remarkable material.
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