Common Name: Aleppo Pine

General Information

Pinus halepensis is an evergreen tree with an irregular, rounded crown; it can grow 15 - 25 metres tall. The crown can become very wind-shaped, especially when growing near the sea. The bole can be up to 150cm in diameter[].
The trees are often harvested from the wild for their resin, which is traded, and as a source of firewood for local use. The wood is also sometimes used, and the plant has sometimes been cultivated in plantations.
Pinus halepensis has a very extensive extent of occurrence and although it is considered to be threatened locally (Algarve in Portugal, Costa Brava in Spain) elsewhere it is stable or perhaps expanding as its economic use for timber has at least in its native habitat diminished. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].
Ill considered plantations established in the southern hemisphere have given rise to invasiveness of this species; in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Pinus halepensis is now a serious weed threatening natural and often species-rich vegetation as well as land used for agriculture[].

Known Hazards

The wood, sawdust and resins from various species of pine can cause dermatitis in sensitive people[].

Botanical References

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Range

Throughout most of the Mediterranean region, but absent from Egypt.

Habitat

Sometimes found in dense woodland, but more commonly scattered in maquis or garrigue vegetation on sunny hills and slopes down to the sea shore, most commonly on limestone and dolomite; growing at elevations from sea level to 1,700 metres[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	15.00 m
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Pinus halepensis is native to the Mediterranean region, where the summers are hot and dry and the winters cool and moist. It is found in the hotter parts of the region, where brush and forest fires are frequent[]. The plant is not very cold-hardy, being able to tolerate short periods with temperatures down to around -10°c when fully dormant[]. Plants become more hardy with age, some older specimens in southern Britain have been known to withstand temperatures down to -17°c without damage[].
Pine species in general require a sunny position if they are to grow well and, whilst the different species have their own soil preferences, most will thrive in a light well-drained sandy or gravelly loam[, ]. Dislikes poorly drained moorland soils[]. Established plants are very tolerant of drought[, ], they succeed in poor chalky soils and also in poor dry sandy soils[]. Fairly wind-resistant[].
An average size tree can produce 3 - 4 kilograms of resin per year[].
The seed cones are 6 - 12cm x 4 - 7cm. They take 3 years to mature and can remain on the branches for several years thereafter without opening. The cones usually only open in very strong summer heat or as the result of the heat from a forest fire[, ].
Plants are strongly outbreeding, self-fertilized seed usually grows poorly[]. They hybridize freely with other members of this genus[].
Leaf secretions inhibit the germination of seeds, thereby reducing the amount of pants that can grow under the tree[].
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

A resin from the trunk is used for chewing and for flavouring wine[, ].

A vanillin flavouring is obtained as a by-product of other resins that are released from the pulpwood[].

The seeds of all Pinus species are more or less edible, and some are of good size and make very tasty and nutritious foods, often eaten in quantitiy. Others can be less desireable, either having a strongly resinous flavour, being bitter or, more commonly, rather too small and fiddly to make it very worthwhle even trying to eat them,
We have no specific information of the desireability of this species, though they are rather small (the size given includes the shell)[].
Seed 5-6 mm long with a 2.5 cm wing[].

Medicinal

Oil of turpentine, obtained from the oleo-resin of all pine trees, is antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, diuretic, rubefacient, stimulant and vermifuge[, ]. It is a valuable remedy used internally in the treatment of kidney and bladder complaints and is used both internally and as a rub and steam bath in the treatment of rheumatic affections[]. It is also very beneficial to the respiratory system and so is useful in treating diseases of the mucous membranes and respiratory complaints such as coughs, colds, influenza and TB[].
Applied externally in the form of liniment plasters, poultices, herbal steam baths and inhalers, it is a very beneficial treatment for a variety of skin complaints, wounds, sores, burns, boils etc[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The needles contain a substance called terpene, this is released when rain washes over the needles and it has a negative effect on the germination of some plants, including wheat[].
A fairly wind-tolerant tree, it can be used in shelterbelt plantings[].
Trees have an extensive root system and they are planted on sand dunes in order to stabilize them[].

Other Uses

A tan or green dye is obtained from the needles[].

Tannin is obtained from the bark[].

A volatile oil obtained from the branches and leaves of the plant is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a masking agent[].
An extract of the needles is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as an antimicrobial, antioxidant and antiseborrhoeic[].[].
The seed oil is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as an emollient and skin conditioner[].

The wood is rich in resin and is still tapped locally for that product; plantations have been established for this use in Greece[].
'Greek turpentine' is obtained from the stems[, , ]. The resins are obtained by tapping the trunk, or by destructive distillation of the wood[, ]. In general, trees from warmer areas of distribution give the higher yields[]. Oil of Turpentine consists of an average of 20% of the oleo-resin[] and is separated by distillation[, ]. Turpentine has a wide range of uses including as a solvent for waxes etc, for thinning and dissolving varnish and paints, a shoe polish, medicinal etc[, ].
Rosin is also obtained by distillation of pine resin. This is used in paper glue and soap manufacturing, as a constituent of varnishes and paints, and for coating the bows of stringed musical instruments such as violins[, ].
Pitch can also be obtained from the resin and is used for waterproofing, as a wood preservative etc[].

Because of its small size and poor form, the wood of most trees is of low quality and is of little value as timber. It has been used for rough construction, mine props, railway sleepers, and telephone poles[, ].
The wood is presently used as firewood and for making charcoal[]. Witches brooms are common in this pine and could be a source of dwarf cultivars in Mediterranean countries; the species is generally not hardy in more northern latitudes. It has been planted as wind breaks and to stop soil erosion on dry slopes.

Propagation

It is best to sow the seed in individual pots in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe if this is possible otherwise in late winter. A short stratification of 6 weeks at 4°c can improve the germination of stored seed[]. Plant seedlings out into their permanent positions as soon as possible and protect them for their first winter or two[]. Plants have a very sparse root system and the sooner they are planted into their permanent positions the better they will grow[]. Trees should be planted into their permanent positions when they are quite small, between 30 and 90cm[]. We actually plant them out when they are about 5 - 10cm tall. So long as they are given a very good weed-excluding mulch they establish very well[]. Larger trees will check badly and hardly put on any growth for several years. This also badly affects root development and wind resistance[].
Cuttings. This method only works when taken from very young trees less than 10 years old. Use single leaf fascicles with the base of the short shoot. Disbudding the shoots some weeks before taking the cuttings can help. Cuttings are normally slow to grow away[].