The source of cork, familiar as a stopper for wine bottles, but also traditionally used for flooring, buoys and floats, and shoe soles. Cork Oak was introduced to Britain in c.1690.

Native to France, Portugal, Spain, Morocco and Tunisia. Hybridises naturally with Turkey Oak (p. xxx) in France and Italy, producing Lucombe Oak (Quercus × hispanica).

Monoecious. Wind-pollinated. Dispersed by birds and small mammals. Its thick bark is a natural adaptation against wildfires.

Medium (20-22m), evergreen, with a broad irregular crown and spreading lower branches. Bark pale orange-grey, soon very thick (5cm), corky and deeply cracked. Twigs densely downy; buds small (3-5mm), ovoid, red-felted. Leaves oval, 3-7cm, rounded at the base, with 4-7 vein pairs each ending in an abrupt point on the margin, dark green above and densely felty pale grey below. Acorn fairly round, at least half-enclosed in an elongated-scaled cupule, single or paired.

Prefers dry, sandy soils. Highly drought-tolerant. Although well adapted to hot conditions, tolerates cold and humid climates in north-west Europe. In the Mediterranean region its bark is harvested every 9–12 years.

No notable associations where introduced.

Overgrazing and intense wildfires.

An attractive and unusual ornamental tree.