The versatile vegetable tissue known as cork is the outer bark of the cork oak tree. Cork is most easily stripped off the tree in late spring and summer when the cells are turgid and fragile and tear without being damaged. The tree quickly forms new layers of cork and restores its protective barrier. No tree is ever cut down. This simple fact makes cork harvesting exceptionally sustainable.
The bark of the cork oak is stripped away every nine to ten years and it takes at least 25 years for a new tree to become profitable. Each tree will provide a harvest of some 200 years.
Cork isn't just used for bottle-stoppers. The Portuguese make a variety of things from cork, and they sell them in tourist shops. One person in our group bought some cork sandals and wore them for the rest of the pilgrimage!
Check out the trees we saw and the products that are made from cork.
Cork is on top
Closeup of previous photo - Cork is very spongy.
View of the whole cork tree
Cork products
Cork products
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