Origin
South America
Light
Full sun
Watering
Weekly
Care
Easy
Flowering
Flowering
Outdoor
Chêne-Liège
A tree stripped bare every decade without dying: its thick bark grows back, and it lives two centuries.
Care Profile
A guide to ensuring your botanical companion thrives.
Origin
Mediterranean
Light
Full sun
Watering
Rarely
Maintenance
Moderate
The bark that is harvested
It forms the forests of Kroumirie in north-western Tunisia, recognisable by its spongy bark, several centimetres thick.
That bark is fire protection: it insulates the trunk from heat. Harvested every nine to twelve years, it regenerates and the tree lives on — one of the few materials taken without felling.
"The only tree harvested without being cut down."
01
Styling Tip 01
Acid soil, no lime
Unlike many Mediterranean trees it refuses limestone: it needs siliceous, free-draining ground.
02
Styling Tip 02
Slow growth, plant young
Plant a young specimen with a deep taproot: it dislikes being moved when older.
03
Styling Tip 03
Leave the bark alone
Cork stripping is a trade in itself; done badly it scars the trunk for life. In a garden, leave the bark on.
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Origin
South America
Light
Full sun
Watering
Rarely
Care
Easy
Flowering
Flowering