Plant ID card |
|
|---|---|
Botanical name |
Pinus halepensis. |
Common name |
Aleppo pine, White pine, Provence white pine, Jerusalem pine. |
Family |
Pinaceae. |
Origin |
France (Provence and Languedoc), Spain, North Africa. |
Dimensions |
When mature, the Aleppo pine can measure 10 to 25 m in height and around 10 m in width. Its growth is slow, it takes several decades to reach its adult size. |
Foliage |
The Aleppo pine has a slightly leaning shape, a crushed crown and a tortuous trunk. Its branches are spread out and its needles are persistent, flexible and sharp. They measure between 6 and 10 cm. |
Bloom |
The white pine produces pale yellow catkins in April and May. These are male flowers. Every 2 years, it produces female flowers, eventually giving 8 to 11 cm pedunculated cones, purple-purple in color. They contain edible winged seeds that can be released or stored. Pine cones can stay on the tree for 10 years. |
Exposure |
Sun, partial shade. |
Ground |
The Aleppo pine appreciates limestone, sandy soil rich in humus. |
Rusticity |
It is a tree very sensitive to cold, from 6°C. |
The fine needles of the Aleppo pine, combined in pairs, are yellowish green in color and have silvery reflections.
They explain its name white pine.
Where to plant the Aleppo pine?
The Aleppo pine is very present in Provence, in a mild climate.
It flourishes in
arid, rocky soils
and does not fear limestone soils.
It needs plenty of light and heat to thrive.
When to plant white pine?
Preferably, plant your tree from
March to June
or
September to October
.
Warmed soil promotes better rooting.
How to plant the Aleppo pine?
To provide the best conditions for good development, choose a place taking into
account its size
, once an adult.
Your pine tree will have a tall, spreading silhouette.
Then, follow these steps:
Dig a hole 80 cm deep and 1 m in diameter;
Remove stones and other debris from the excavated earth;
Mix it with
manure or compost;
Depot your tree carefully;
Soak its root ball in a basin of water until the bubbles stop;
Place the subject in the center of the hole, distributing the roots well;
Install
support stakes
without having attachments;
Fill between the roots and around the foot;
Tamp by hand or foot, avoiding compacting the soil;
Water abundantly (around 20 liters of water) even if it rains;
Mulch all around the base (maritime pine bark or straw) to obtain a
thickness of 5 to 7 cm
.
This will prevent weeds from growing;
Attach the ties to the stakes
after 48 hours
using flexible ties to avoid damaging the trunk;
During the first months of planting, water your pine every 15 days if the weather is dry.
On a young Aleppo pine, do not hesitate to mist the leaves from time to time to prevent the establishment of harmful insects.
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How to maintain the Aleppo pine?
Some tips for obtaining a vigorous tree:
When the soil is well drained, space out watering;
Mulch
in spring
to maintain freshness during the summer;
Add
organic fertilizer
outside of hot months;
On young trees, do not hesitate to mist the leaves from time to time to prevent the establishment of harmful insects.
When to prune the Aleppo pine?
Prune and prune
, if necessary, poorly oriented branches in winter.
To do this, equip yourself with hand scissors, pruning shears and a pruner.
Also remove, gradually, dead or very damaged wood and needles.
What diseases can the Aleppo pine suffer from?
The Aleppo pine is subject to certain diseases such as:
Aleppo pine canker disease
: favored by high rainfall, the development of this fungus leads to areas of tissue necrosis (cankers) with peeling of the bark and possible strangulation of the branches.
The needles turn red and fall off.
The tree dries up from the bottom to the top of the crown.
The bacterial tumor of the Aleppo pine
: the bacteria penetrate, through an opening, into the cortical tissues of the pine and multiply, causing necrosis on the branches and twigs.
Tumors (globular growths) appear, blocking the circulation of sap and causing the branches to dry out.
Blister rust of branches
: it causes swellings and a canker, with resin flow, on the branches or trunk.
White vesicles containing the spores appear in late winter and spring.
The needles turn yellow and drop and the part of the tree above the canker may dry out.
The development of wood-eating fungi
: such as the pine tramete and the margined polypore which are responsible for different forms of rot.
The console-shaped fruiting bodies are visible on the trunk.
Infestation by insect pests
: such as the pine needle leafhopper which performs food bites on the needles, turning them from yellow to red.
Let us also mention the destructive hylesin, a beetle responsible for dieback and mortality.
Let us not forget the pine processionary caterpillar which, without being specific to the Aleppo pine, constitutes a formidable enemy.