Adopt or gift a Cork oak tree

Scientific name: Quercus suber
Common name: Cork oak

Tree of the Central and Western Mediterranean area. When the thick, spongy bark is extracted, the hulled trunks and branches are bright red in color, turning brown quite slowly. After about 10 years, enough cork regrows to be harvested. The leaves generally have 3-6 teeth on each side and have grayish hairs on the underside.

The qualities of cork have turned it into a sought-after and valued material for many production activities. The first extraction is called demasking: the first cork is called male cork because it is very rough, coarse, cracked, and porous. Later extractions happen at 9-12 year span, and the extracted product is called gentle or female cork as it is light, firm, and smooth.

Cork was once used only for the production of corks for wine bottles. Today, on the other hand, it is widely used in construction: cork panels insulate walls from the cold, and cork floors cool interiors.