Cork Oak Harvest at UC Davis  

May 30, 2024

The UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology, in partnership with the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden and Cork Supply, hosted a cork oak bark harvest demonstration performed by experts from Portugal for students in the Wine Technology and Winery Systems class and stakeholders in the regional wine industry.  

Most of the world's cork supply comes from Portugal and Spain. Harvesting cork is relatively unknown in the United States

UC Davis is home to over 500 Cork oaks (Quercus suber). The tree which was harvested during the demonstration was over 80 years old! This was the first time a cork tree at UC Davis has ever been harvested!  The very first harvest of a cork oak tree can't be used for corks. It takes at least 9 years after the first harvest before the new growth "bark" develops into more dense cork to be used for corks. It could take another 9 years beyond that for high quality cork. Trees are grown for an average of 25 years before their first harvest!

UC Davis has a  rich history with cork oaks.  During World War II, many of their trees were planted on campus in order to address cork shortages during the war. Today, UC Davis is home to over 500 of these trees, celebrated for their distinctive beauty, large size, ample shade and wildlife value. In addition to these benefits, cork oaks are the only tree with the unique ability to regenerate their bark with minimal impact on the health of the tree.

Here is a video of the harvest.