Cork Oak Trees in Portugal

The tree most associated with Portugal has to be the Cork Oak (Quercus Suber). An evergreen, known as Sobreiros in Portuguese, which are, under Portuguese law, highly protected.

The felling, pruning and moving of a Cork Oak in Portugal is only permitted, and most often not, after the correct permissions have been granted by the local authorities. Such is the protection these trees receive even motor ways have had to be re-routed to avoid damage to them.

Cork Oak trees live for approximately 150-250 years. The bark of the Cork oaks can be harvested to produce cork and Portugal's cork oaks account for 50% of the world's harvest.

The stripping of the bark does not damage a cork oak and harvesting can take place once every nine to 12 years. One tree can be harvested up to a dozen times in it's life time. The cork oak is easily identifiable by it's thick rugged bark.