Cork oak (lat. Qurcus suber) belongs to the genus Oaks from the Beech family. This is a large cork rake that grows in many countries of Europe.
The birthplace of the cork tree is the Western Mediterranean, the coast of Portugal. Over time, it was artificially transferred to other areas of Europe with a suitable climate.
Description of Qurcus suber
The cork tree is tall - it extends up to 20 m, the trunk reaches 1 meter in diameter.
Leaves grow from 1 to 7 cm in length, depending on the age of the shoot. Their width is 1.5–3.5 cm. The contour of the leaf is one-piece, it can be with small sharp teeth. The surface is shiny, rich green, the lower part is gray-pubescent, rarely - almost bald.
Oak crown is sprawling, evergreen. Rate its size and grandeur (photo).
Acorns in pubescent plush grow on a long stalk of 1-3 pieces. Fruits are stretched to 3 cm and reach 1.5 cm in thickness. Ripen in one year. A tree blooms in May.
Habitat
In Russia, cork trees grow on the southern coast of the Crimea, off the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. This species of oak easily tolerates drought, thanks to the bark with closed pores. It retains moisture inside the trunk. And winter frosts below -20 ˚C are destructive for a cork plant: at this temperature, vital processes stop and the oak tree freezes. For this reason, where the cork tree grows, it should be warm and moderately dry.
Breeding
Probkonos propagates in vivo with acorns and seedlings. Not all seedlings adopt the characteristics of the mother tree, so for industrial purposes, oaks are planted artificially, using only mature and carefully selected acorns.
Oak cork
Cork oak bark begins to grow in thickness after 3-5 years, after 15-18 it reaches its maturity. The top layer is covered with cracks, which indicates its readiness for primary cutting. Carry it during sap flow. During this period, the bark is well separated from the bast. The average yield of material from one tree is about 1.5–2.0 kg.
After cutting, the plant does not die, but continues to grow bark at a rate of 7-8 mm per year. Fruits up to 150 years. With each subsequent removal, the quality of the cork improves, after the third cutting, the material reaches luxury.
Cork collection is not possible everywhere: in the wild thickets of Crimea, oaks with insufficient fruiting layer grow.For production create special nurseries with a certain variety of trees. The bulk of the world's cork stock is in Western Europe and North Africa. The best samples are harvested at home - in Portugal, the second place - after Spain. Cork is an imported material, which leads to its high cost.
How to cut a cork
How the work is done:
- The harvester is climbed on a ladder to a height where the bark thickness is at least 2 or 3 cm, depending on the purpose of the extraction.
- The diameter of the trunk is an incision to the depth of growth of the cork. Do the same with the bottom edge. The slots are connected by a vertical line.
- With a special shovel, carefully remove the bark to the bast.
- Layers of cork are laid for drying in a hangar or under a canopy.
Bark features
Oak got its name because of a specific bark called cork. It consists of dead plant cells soaked in suberin. Thanks to this substance, the material does not pass water, moisture, gases, products from it can be used in wet rooms. The porous structure of the cork is created by the cortical tissue - phallogens - in the process of life.
The high heat-insulating and air-tight properties of the natural material are so unique that it still has not been able to find an artificial analogue.
The bark is elastic and light, which ensures its widespread use in construction, and an attractive appearance complements the thermal insulation properties.
Raw material preparation
Cut bark is dried in warehouses. After that, it must be treated against parasites and harmful microflora. For this, the bark is soaked, evaporated. In this state, it softens and straightens well. After repeated drying, the tiles are sent for cutting and further processing.
Industrial application
Cork tree bark is a universal material for the production of various products for all industries:
- In winemaking for the manufacture of bottle caps and packaging boxes. This is one of the main areas of use of raw materials.
- The creation of elite class insulation panels from bark of balsa wood is the second way to use whole raw materials.
All that remains of the main production is carefully crushed, mixed and pressed into briquettes. From cork raw materials there is no garbage left for recycling - everything goes into action. Pressed briquettes produce products for different occasions:
- Wall and ceiling panels providing thermal insulation of surfaces and a finished appearance without additional cladding.
- The cork is laid in a layer when flooring parquet and laminate: it compensates for uneven floors due to the elastic structure.
- Manufacturers make means of pressed cork for saving people on the water - circles, contents of vests.
- Modern shoe designers take oak bark to make soles for sneakers and summer sandals. Users note that the cork sole softens the step and levels the bumps in the road underfoot.
- Pressed layers are used in mechanical engineering for insulation and soundproofing of doors.
- Cork briquettes are used in the manufacture of furniture.
- For the manufacture of kitchen utensils (trays, coasters for hot dishes, lids).
Natural cork products are environmentally friendly, absolutely safe for health. They can be used as the main facing material and as a sound and heat insulator for decoration. The only drawback of cork briquettes, and even more so of the whole canvas, is the high cost, which is due to imports and the exchange rate.
Interesting Facts
It turns out that the bark of a tree is capable of absorbing carbon from the air in large quantities. Planting cork oaks in cities with a developed industry will help, albeit slightly, but still reduce the level of processed gases in the air.
The first person who came up with a cork to close a bottle of wine was the monk Don Perignon. In honor of him they began to call one of the varieties of the drink. This happened back in 1680, since then the industry has not found a better solution, and the blockage technology has remained the same.
The oldest cork tree grows in the Portuguese province of Alentejo. He is over 230 years old. The photograph conveys the greatness of this oak in full.