The Aleppo pine is a typically Mediterranean conifer, highly resistant to drought and heat, which dominates dry coastal forests on limestone soils.
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Division | Pinophyta |
| Class | Pinopsida |
| Order | Pinales |
| Family | Pinaceae |
| Genus | Pinus |
| Species | Pinus halepensis |
It is a tree that can reach 25 metres in height, with an often twisted trunk and an irregular, open crown. Its leaves are long, flexible needles, grouped in pairs, of a slightly yellowish-green tone.
Its cones are relatively small, 5 to 12 cm, with a pale, clearly visible stalk joining them to the branch.
It is found in the dry Mediterranean forests of southern Europe, western Asia and North Africa. It prefers limestone terrain near the coast, and is a species markedly adapted to water scarcity and plenty of sun.
Its epithet ‘halepensis’ alludes to the city of Aleppo, in Syria, where it was described. It is a pyrophytic species: its cones are adapted to spread better after a forest fire, which allows it to quickly recolonise burnt areas.
