Cork Oak in the Washington Park Arboretum

Quercus suber in the Washington Park Arboretum November 2011

 Quercus suber in the Washington Park Arboretum November 2011

 Quercus suber in the Washington Park Arboretum November 2011

Quercus suber in the Washington Park Arboretum November 2011

I don't often see Quercus suber in Seattle.  There is this tree in the Washington Park Arboretum, just east of the East Drive, not far north of the Pacific Rim Garden.  There is another Downtown on 2nd Avenue & others in the comma at the north end of Hunter Boulevard S near my home.   I think there are not enough specimens to determine whether Cork Oak is a good choice for Seattle.  But it would certainly be worth trying on a dry & sunny site.

This information from Wikipedia:
Quercus suber has a thick bark that protects it against fire. After a fire, many other tree species regenerate from seeds, or resprout from the base of the tree.  Cork Oak branches quickly resprout & recompose the tree canopy. Over time the cork layer of bark becomes quite thick.  It can be harvested every 9 to 12 years. The harvesting of cork does not harm the tree. After cork is removed, a new layer regrows. The tree is cultivated in Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Morocco, Algeria & Tunisia. Cork Oak forests cover approximately 25,000 square kilometers in those countries. In Portugal & Spain, Cork Oak forests are home to the Iberian Lynx, the most critically threatened feline in the world. Portugal accounts for half of the world cork harvest. Cork Oaks cannot legally be cut down in Portugal, except for the felling of old, unproductive trees, with special permission from the Ministry of Agriculture. Cork Oaks can live to 250 years. Cork harvesting is done entirely without machinery. It is harvested with small axes. This process requires training due to the skill required to harvest cork without harming the tree.