25/01/2024
"The Aleppo Pine" is the title of my watercolour painted a little while back. This magnificent conifer tree can be found around the island of Malta, which is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. It is so hardy that it bends tenaciously and so grows interestingly against our harsh winter & summer winds that blow across the Maltese island archipelago.
This Pine tree (Pinus halepensis) is also a fast-growing conifer often associated with the Brutia pine (Pinus brutia), and mainly found in the coastal areas of the western Mediterranean region. It is the most important forest species in North Africa, and is of great ecological significance in southern France and Italy. Due to its irregular shape and poor wood quality, the species is not particularly useful in the forestry industry; however, it is used in the pulp and paper industry, as well as for firewood.
Within its distribution area, the tree also provides certain ecosystem services, such as improving water infiltration, preventing soil erosion on dry slopes and serving as a windbreak. For these reasons, the tree has been key to several afforestation programmes.
The Aleppo pine grows on all substrates and within most bioclimates of the Mediterranean region. It is a drought-resistant species, growing well in hot areas exposed to frequent forest fires. In such locations, the tree is mainly scattered in lower altitudes, though it also grows in mountainous areas.
