Pinaceae

Pinus halepensis

Common Names: Aleppo pine

Plant Form: Medium evergreen tree. Size: Up to 25 m tall. Stem: Young bark silvery grey, darkening to a purplish brown and becoming rougher with age. Leaves: Needle-like, 5-15 cm long, typical pine leaves, in pairs with greyish sheath at base. Flowers: No flowers. Fruit and Seeds: Cylindrical, soft, short-lived male cones, and larger female cones which are, woody, brown, oval shaped, and present for longer. Habitat: Woodlands, pastures, gullies, parks, old gardens, roadsides. Distinguishing Features: Flat crown in older trees distinguish from very similar Calabrian pine (Pinus brutia). Leaves in pairs rather than in 3s with Radiata pine (Pinus radiata). Also has typically shorter leaves than other lookalike pines with pairs of leaves. Impacts: Replace native vegetation and commercial pine species, alters water cycle, needle layer prevents establishment of other plants, dermatitis or asthma risk, increased fire risk.

Abundant cones on branches

Unopened cones are elongate, leaves are short

Smaller trees are bushy with foliage to ground

Larger trees have broad canopies