A valuable gift for people - cork tree
Every time they open a good wine, people do not pay attention to the cork and indifferently throw it into the trash. But sometimes it's worth stopping and imagining a mighty cork tree to appreciate the gift of nature. After all, the whole earth is filled with her gifts and many of them are unfamiliar to people. Let's try to get to know more about an amazing plant from which not only wine corks are made.
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Common features of a majestic plant
When May comes, cute flowers appear on the tree. Over time, fruits are formed from them - acorns. They grow on one stalk in 2 or 3 pieces. Stretched out to about 3 cm, and one and a half centimeters thick. Fruits ripen within one calendar year.
The cork tree grows very slowly. When he is about 25 years old, he is considered to have reached maturity. The plant has a lifespan of approximately 300 years. Some specimens live up to 400. I wish people could live that long!
Most often, trees that are more than 250 years old are uprooted, as they lose the uniqueness of their bark.
In nature, there are two types of such trees:
- cork tree "Present";
- cork oak "Western".
In the Far East, its distant relative grows - Amur Velvet, which is also called a cork tree. Although its bark is used for industrial purposes, it is inferior in quality to the original plant.
The places in nature where the cork tree grows are located at an altitude of 500 m above sea level. Most often found in the Mediterranean, as well as in Spain, Portugal, Crimea and the Caucasus. We can say that people from different countries received a valuable gift, so there will be enough wine corks for everyone.
Lovers of exotic plants should take into account that the tree does not tolerate air temperatures below 20 degrees.
The peculiarity of this type of oak is its unique bark. Inside it there are closed pores that can hold fluid in the middle of a thick trunk. Therefore, the tree miraculously tolerates drought - a frequent occurrence in warm countries. A photo of a cork tree in natural conditions is especially admired by lovers of green spaces of the earth.
The cork tree propagates by sprouting acorns or seedlings. Although young seedlings do not always adopt the characteristics of the mother tree. Therefore, in artificial cultivation, gardeners select only sufficiently mature and large acorns.
Unique bark bark
Almost all trees on earth have their own value. Some bear fruit, others decorate residential areas, others serve as homes for birds and animals. Even if the tree dies, it still benefits. Make it beautiful furniture, build houses and use it as an environmentally friendly fuel. But cork is a tree truly unique.
When the plant is more than 3 years old, the bark begins to grow in thickness, which is its uniqueness.After 16 - 20 years, it will reach full maturity and crack on the outside. It was during this period that it can be cut for industrial needs.
The bark consists of dead tree cells, which are abundantly saturated with a special substance - suberin. The result is a material that does not pass through:
- moisture;
- liquid;
- gas.
The presence of phellogenes in the bark stimulates its porous character. Until now, scientists have not been able to create such an analogue artificially. Its high thermal insulation properties and the ability to keep air out amaze more than one generation of curious people with its uniqueness.
In addition, the bark of the balsa tree has an unrivaled elasticity, although it is very light in weight. The material is also used in the construction industry and in the manufacture of footwear.
It is better to remove the bark while the sap is moving along the tree trunk. Then it easily separates from the oak.
Since the tree needs to recover after cutting the bark, a lot of time must pass, on average - 9 years. And it is not surprising that in countries such as Spain and Portugal, you can see unusual landscapes of trees without bark.
Technique for removing bark from a tree
Since the material is highly valued, its removal is carried out carefully and competently. It is important not to damage the wood or spoil valuable raw materials. To begin with, determine the thickness of the bark. It should be at least 3 cm. Then a stepladder is placed and the first incision is made through the entire diameter of the trunk. The lower edge of the material is cut in the same way. Then the slots are connected by making cuts from top to bottom. With a special shovel, the bark is carefully separated from the trunk and folded under a canopy for drying.
This procedure does not affect the life processes of the tree. It continues to grow, bloom and bear fruit, delighting others with its appearance.
In order to stimulate the build-up of the bark, incisions must be made. When the tree is 15 years old, you can remove the first layer. It is usually called "virgin" and it often falls apart right in the hands. One decade later, a new layer will grow, which will be of high quality. The bark of the cork tree, which is over 150 years old, is especially appreciated. When the plant is already over 200, the rind melts whitish and loses its unique characteristics. It is not for nothing that there is an opinion among people: "Everything has its time." The main thing is not to miss your chance.
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