5 – Pin d’Alep – Pinus halepensis Mill.
Ethnobotanical NFC digital path
Pinaceae family
This family belongs to the group of gymnosperms (with unprotected seeds).
When there is a fire, cones shoot their seeds away. That’s why it is one of the first tree to grow back after a fire. This is also one of the reason why it has been planted to reforest. It has many advantages : it grows fast and It is a hardy tree.
The type of tree chosen, as Aleppo pine, to reforest has been highly criticized. Revolted, some people organized demonstrations and collective grubbing-up sessions.
Now, we know that it wasn’t such a bad idea, because we know that the pionneer plants allow the arrival of the next ones.
His guest :
Despite its various ways to repel insects, they still attract unwanted guests such as processionary caterpilars and the Ergates Faber also called long horn beetle. Their old trunks are loved by this insect.
In one of his book, Jean-Henri Fabre, famous entomologist, explains the meal he prepared with long horn beetle larvae, a delicacy appreciated by romans. I advise you to read it, it is hilarious.
The processionary caterpillars make their purse-shape nest in the Aleppo pines. In 1508, these caterpillars have been tried and convicted. They have been convicted to leave their tree within 6 days under threat of being cursed or excommunicated by the Bishop of Nice. the offenders could be defended by an advocate.
Foods and drinks
In antiquity, Greeks used Pine resin to fill the pores of amphoarae before filling them with wine. And they have loved its taste, so they still do it now.
Pine resin is still used by the Greeks. They need 2.2 Lbs of resin for 26.41 gal of wine. Each year, they use 3306 short tons USA of pine resin.
Aleppos’s pine nuts are edible even if they are smaller than the stone pine nuts.
Tunisians make desserts with it. Their Ministry of health has to warn them about the risk of obesity if consumed in high quantity via TV broadcasts.
