Cork Oak

Quercus suber

“The tree that made wine possible. Grows in Texas.”

This is where wine corks come from. The bark is the actual commercial cork — thick, spongy, fire-resistant, and harvestable every 9 years without harming the tree. Native to the Mediterranean coast of Spain, Portugal, and North Africa. Semi-evergreen. Drought-tolerant once established. Thrives in Zone 7–10 in well-drained alkaline soils. Growing a cork oak in Central Texas is possible and deeply satisfying to explain to guests.