Aleppo pine

How to recognise it

Habit

Tree of 10–20 m with a light, irregular crown; often leaning or twisted in windy places. Usually smaller here.

Needles

In pairs, thin and soft, 6–12 cm, pale green to yellowish green; they grow in loose tufts at the ends of the shoots.

Cones

Conical, 6–12 cm, glossy reddish brown, on a short, thick, curved stalk that points backwards. They ripen in their second year and often stay closed on the tree for years.

Bark

Smooth and silvery grey on young trees, later reddish brown to dark grey with deep furrows.

Roots

A deep taproot and widely spreading side roots that search far into rock crevices for water.

Confusion with

Turkish pine: darker, stiffer needles and stalkless cones pointing forwards. Black pine: dark green, stiff needles of 8–16 cm and stalkless cones. Stone pine: umbrella-shaped crown and large, round cones with edible pine nuts.

Flowering: April–May · Pruning: May–June

Why grow it?

• One of the most drought-tolerant trees in Europe: interesting for a hot, dry, chalky garden.
• A light, open crown of fine needles that casts little shade, so other plants still grow underneath.
• Its seeds feed finches and tits, and the crown gives birds cover all year round.
• It still grows well on limestone and dry, stony ground, where many other conifers struggle.
• Historically interesting: its resin gave Greek retsina its flavour and was once tapped for turpentine and pitch.

Aleppo pine: where does it grow best?

• In the wild: dry limestone slopes, sea cliffs, garrigue and open woodland around the Mediterranean, often on poor, stony soil.
• Full sun and warmth; it tolerates sea wind, salt and long summer drought.
• Poor, free-draining soil, preferably chalky; it cannot cope with wet, heavy clay.
• In Belgium: a warm, sheltered spot, for example a town garden or against a south-facing wall, out of the cold east wind. In cold, wet places it dies in a severe winter.

Goes well with

• Lavender: Flowers in summer on the same dry, chalky soil; bees and butterflies love it.
• Rosemary: An evergreen, fragrant shrub that, like the pine, comes from the garrigue.
• Thyme: A low, flowering ground cover for the sunny edge.
• Rock rose: Pink or white flowers on poor, dry soil.
• Holm oak: An evergreen Mediterranean oak for a warm, sheltered garden.

Aleppo pine: when and how to plant it?

1. Buy a young, pot-grown tree from a tree nursery or a nursery for Mediterranean plants. Never take seedlings from the wild, not even on holiday.
2. Plant in April–May so the roots can establish well before winter; trees planted in autumn are more vulnerable to frost.
3. Choose a small tree of 50–100 cm: taprooted pines transplant badly once they are larger.
4. Dig a wide planting hole, mix heavy soil with gravel or coarse sand and set the root ball at the same depth as in the pot.
5. Water well when planting, then every one to two weeks in dry spells during the first summer.
6. Drive a short stake in at an angle on the windward side until the tree is firmly anchored.

Care

Water

Only in the first year during dry spells. After that, never: it is a drought specialist.

Feeding

Not needed; on rich soil it grows too soft and becomes more sensitive to frost.

Litter

Leave the needles as a natural litter layer; no thick layer of compost around the base.

Winter protection

For the first few winters, protect young trees in severe frost with fleece over the crown and a mulch over the roots.

Space

Plant at least 5 m from houses and other trees; its roots search far for water.

Tip: Plant Aleppo pine in spring and as a small tree: it then has a whole summer to root and gets through its first winter much better.

Pruning and mowing

Pruning months: May–June.

When: Little needed. Shape it in May by shortening the young shoots; cut out frost damage in June.

How:

• In May, shorten the new candles by half if you want a more compact tree.
• Saw off dead, broken or frozen branches back to healthy wood, just outside the branch collar.
• After a severe winter, wait until June before cutting out frost damage: by then you can see what is regrowing.
• Feel free to leave its natural, slightly leaning shape: that is exactly its charm.

Caution: Do not cut into bare wood without needles: a pine will not regrow from there.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed

Put closed cones in a warm place, for example near a radiator or in the sun, until they open. Sow the seeds in March–April in a seed tray with sandy compost; they usually germinate without pre-treatment. Pot the seedlings up quickly into deep pots to make room for the taproot.

Cuttings

Rarely successful with pines; sowing is the usual method.

Aleppo pine: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −12 °C: protect in harsh winters.

• Evergreen; the light crown stays fresh green all winter.
• Moderately hardy: down to about −12 °C without much damage. In harder or prolonged frost the needles discolour and branches may die.
• Cold, dry east winds and waterlogged soil are the greatest danger; a sheltered, dry spot makes all the difference.
• Older trees are tougher than young ones; protect young trees during their first winters.

Diseases and pests

• Frost damage: Brown needles or dead branches after a severe winter. Wait until June to prune; the tree often regrows.
• Wet feet: On heavy, wet soil it sickens and the roots die. Plant in a dry, free-draining spot.
• Pine processionary moth: A well-known pest in southern Europe: caterpillars with irritating hairs that spin white silk nests in the crown. If you see such nests, do not touch them and have them removed by a specialist.
• Flammable: The tree is full of resin and burns easily. Keep it away from fire pits, barbecues and fireworks.

Through the year

• January: Dormant. Protect young trees in severe frost.
• February: Check winter protection; do not cut out frost damage yet.
• April: Planting. Flowering begins: yellow male cones full of pollen.
• May: Flowering. Shorten the candles to keep it compact. Planting.
• June: Cut out frost damage. Water young trees in dry weather.
• July: Established trees need no water, even in hot weather.
• September: Last year’s cones are ripe.
• October: Collect closed cones for seed.
• November: Mulch over the roots of young trees.
• December: Evergreen. Have fleece ready for severe frost.

Did you know?

• The name refers to the Syrian city of Aleppo, but the tree is far more common in the western Mediterranean, especially in Spain.
• In Greece, resin from this pine has been added to wine for centuries: that is how retsina gets its typical piney taste.
• In Tunisia its tiny seeds are made into a creamy dessert, assidat zgougou, traditionally eaten to celebrate the birth of the Prophet.