I watched the programme on BBC 2 which showed the cork oaks after harvet. How come they
don't die after the bark has been stripped off? If I took the bark off a normal tree all
the way round, it would die.

Kath

'The Stories of George the Hamster'
Translated by Lee H and Kathleen Smith
ISBN - 978-0-9546989-3-5
Available from www.arlev.clara.net/george.htm
and from both on line and High Street Bookshops

On Sun, 21 Dec 2008 12:02:10 +0000, wrote:

I watched the programme on BBC 2 which showed the cork oaks after harvet. How come they
don't die after the bark has been stripped off? If I took the bark off a normal tree all
the way round, it would die.

That's a point the programme made; it is the only tree which can
survive this treatment.
Wasn't Monty Don a good choice of narrator. I loved the programme.

Pam in Bristol

wrote in message
...
I watched the programme on BBC 2 which showed the cork oaks after harvet.
How come they
don't die after the bark has been stripped off? If I took the bark off a
normal tree all
the way round, it would die.

Kath

'The Stories of George the Hamster'
Translated by Lee H and Kathleen Smith
ISBN - 978-0-9546989-3-5
Available from www.arlev.clara.net/george.htm
and from both on line and High Street Bookshops

I had to check but as I suspected the stripping of bark is only done to the
outer Cork layer without compromising a secondary layer which contains the
Xylem if you overdid it and stripped that layer then that would kill the
tree. Its amazing that a mature tree can replace the cork in as little as 3
years.
DerekW

"Derek" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
...
I watched the programme on BBC 2 which showed the cork oaks after harvet.
How come they
don't die after the bark has been stripped off? If I took the bark off a
normal tree all
the way round, it would die.

Kath

'The Stories of George the Hamster'
Translated by Lee H and Kathleen Smith
ISBN - 978-0-9546989-3-5
Available from www.arlev.clara.net/george.htm
and from both on line and High Street Bookshops

I had to check but as I suspected the stripping of bark is only done to
the outer Cork layer without compromising a secondary layer which contains
the Xylem if you overdid it and stripped that layer then that would kill
the tree. Its amazing that a mature tree can replace the cork in as little
as 3 years.
DerekW

There are lovely cork trees across the Tamar in Mt Edgcumbe Country Park

writes
I watched the programme on BBC 2 which showed the cork oaks after
harvet. How come they
don't die after the bark has been stripped off? If I took the bark off
a normal tree all
the way round, it would die.

It's not the bark that is critical its the layer immediately below it
which channels the food up from the roots to the rest of the tree. With
most trees, it is impossible to remove the bark without also removing
the layer underneath. The cork oak has developed thick bark which will
peel off without taking off the layer underneath, not sure why. Defence
against something, presumably, but I don't know what.
--
Kay

wrote in message
...
I watched the programme on BBC 2 which showed the cork oaks after harvet.
How come they
don't die after the bark has been stripped off? If I took the bark off a
normal tree all
the way round, it would die.

Kath

'The Stories of George the Hamster'
Translated by Lee H and Kathleen Smith
ISBN - 978-0-9546989-3-5
Available from www.arlev.clara.net/george.htm
and from both on line and High Street Bookshops

hmm, would this work with our back gardens neighbours Leylandii??

--
..
"Sheila" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
...
I watched the programme on BBC 2 which showed the cork oaks after harvet.
How come they
don't die after the bark has been stripped off? If I took the bark off a
normal tree all
the way round, it would die.

Kath

'The Stories of George the Hamster'
Translated by Lee H and Kathleen Smith
ISBN - 978-0-9546989-3-5
Available from www.arlev.clara.net/george.htm
and from both on line and High Street Bookshops

hmm, would this work with our back gardens neighbours Leylandii??


bit obvious that one :-((
try copper nails ;-))

In message , K
writes
writes
I watched the programme on BBC 2 which showed the cork oaks after
harvet. How come they
don't die after the bark has been stripped off? If I took the bark off
a normal tree all
the way round, it would die.

It's not the bark that is critical its the layer immediately below it
which channels the food up from the roots to the rest of the tree. With
most trees, it is impossible to remove the bark without also removing
the layer underneath. The cork oak has developed thick bark which will
peel off without taking off the layer underneath, not sure why. Defence
against something, presumably, but I don't know what.

I seem to recall that cork is a defence against fire.

http://books.google.com/books?id=5uiycUoRmFkC&pg=PA112
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

In article ,
says...
In message , K
writes
writes
I watched the programme on BBC 2 which showed the cork oaks after
harvet. How come they
don't die after the bark has been stripped off? If I took the bark off
a normal tree all
the way round, it would die.

It's not the bark that is critical its the layer immediately below it
which channels the food up from the roots to the rest of the tree. With
most trees, it is impossible to remove the bark without also removing
the layer underneath. The cork oak has developed thick bark which will
peel off without taking off the layer underneath, not sure why. Defence
against something, presumably, but I don't know what.

I seem to recall that cork is a defence against fire.

http://books.google.com/books?id=5uiycUoRmFkC&pg=PA112

I think that the american redwoods and several eucalypts do much the
same, I certainly had one with bark 3" thick, storms eventually got it,
shame they are so brittle (Eucalypts that is)
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

On 21 Dec, 18:19, "'Mike'" wrote:
--
."Sheila" wrote in message

...





wrote in message
.. .
I watched the programme on BBC 2 which showed the cork oaks after harvet.
How come they
don't die after the bark has been stripped off? If I took the bark off a
normal tree all
the way round, it would die.

Kath

'The Stories of George the Hamster'
Translated by Lee H and Kathleen Smith
ISBN - 978-0-9546989-3-5
Available fromwww.arlev.clara.net/george.htm
and from both on line and High Street Bookshops

hmm, would this work with our back gardens neighbours Leylandii??

bit obvious that one :-((
try copper nails ;-))

or spilling battery acid around the roots, accidentally