Aleppo Pine, Jerusalem pine
Pinus halepensis
Family: Pinaceae
What it is like
An evergreen tree. It grows to 12-20 m high and spreads to 4-6 m across. The stem is twisted and branching. The crown of the tree is like a cone but it becomes more rounded with age. The bark is ash grey. The bark becomes reddish with age. The leaves are like green needles. They are arranged in pairs and bright green. They are 6-11 cm long. The cones are oval. The female cones are 5-12 cm long.
There are over 100 species of Pinus.
Where it is found
A Mediterranean plant. A native of Syria. It will grow on most soils. It suits open sunny positions. It is resistant to frost and drought. Often it grows on limestone soils. It does well in drier regions. It suits areas with a rainfall between 350-700 mm a year. Hobart Government House. It suits hardiness zones 8-11. Arboretum Tasmania.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Britain, Central America, Chile, East Africa, Europe, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Libya, Mediterranean (country/location of origin), Middle East, Morocco, New Zealand, North Africa, North America, Pakistan, Palestine, Portugal, Sahara, SE Asia, Slovenia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Spain, Syria, Tasmania, Tunisia, Zimbabwe
How it is used for food
The resin is used for wine in Greece. The seeds are eaten raw. They are also ground and sprinkled over pastry. The seeds are used in drinks. The shoots are eaten raw or fried. They are also used for tea drinks.
It is cultivated.
Edible parts
Seeds, sap, shoots, leaves, male cones
How it is grown
Plants are grown from seed planted where the plant is to grow.
Trees live for 150-200 years.
Its other names
Local names
Alepski bor, Lizzab, Pino, Pinus pesisir, Snober halabi, Zgougou