Quercus coccifera Kermes oak

There are 7 species of Quercus in the southern Spain, Andalucía.

This Kermes oak is a shrub or small tree providing great habitat for some wildlife species including birds. It is sometimes called the Palestine oak. It was historically important as a food plant for the  Kermes scale insect as it produced a red dye called Cochineal (Crimson). It can grow from 1 meter to 6 meters in the Middle East. It is native to the Mediterranean countries and North Africa.

Quercus suber

Quercus suber Cork oak

Alcornoque

This evergreen Cork oak is native to the SW Mediterranean and NW Africa and flowers in April and May. It can grow to a height of 20metres. These photographs show the natural colour of the bark after it has been harvested which is done every 9-12 years. The tree has to be at least 25 years old before the bark is harvested for cork. After a fire this tree has the means to regenerate itself from every branch, as the branches are protected by a deep insulating layer of cork. Other trees after fires either die or regenerate from the base. They live for 150-250 years generally.

Castanea sativa

Castanea sativa  Chestnut trees

The trees can grow to 35 metres  high but they are much smaller in the Genal valley, due to harvesting of the chestnuts. They have been here for hundreds of years and are probably native to the area. They flower in the spring and the chestnuts are harvested in November.