Plant Form: Evergreen tree
Water Use: Very low
Mature Size: 20-60 ft. tall x 30-40 ft. wide
Exposure: Full sun
Bloom Time: Fall (Sept-Nov), Winter (Dec-Feb)
Native to: Mediterranean Region
Hardiness: Cold hardy to 10°F
Aleppo Pine is a drought-tolerant, two-needle pine that is often sold in California as a living Christmas tree. It tolerates and even thrives in extreme temperatures, drought, high heat, frost, severe wind, and poor soil because it is native to arid regions around the Mediterranean Sea with climates similar to ours. Both male and female cones grow on the same tree; small male cones produce copious amounts of pollen, while female cones grow singly or in whorls. When young, growth is symmetrical with upright branching from a single trunk. As it matures, the crown becomes more open, and the tree often develops multiple trunks. These resilient pines can live up to 150 years or more under ideal conditions. They are low maintenance, requiring watering only their first few years until established; after that, occasional deep water at their drip line is enough to protect them from any dieback from strong winds. Suited to large residential gardens, parks, and commercial plantings, looking at home with other traditional Mediterranean landscape plants.
