Afghan pine
Pinus brutia subsp. eldarica
Also called Mondell pine, eldarica pine. Synonyms: Pinus eldarica.
One of the few pines that tolerate low-desert heat and alkaline soil. Used for windbreaks and tall evergreen screens in the Southwest.
Size over time
Typical landscape size 9–15 m (30–49 ft) tall and 5–8 m (16–26 ft) wide; fast growth, about 15 years to maturity. Intermediate sizes use the planner’s growth curve (k = 0.45) from the #15 install size.
Design notes
- Water deeply and infrequently; shallow-watered trees topple in monsoon winds.
- Pine bark beetles attack drought-stressed trees.
Regions
Native range: Caucasus region and western Asia.
Not recorded as native to any of the three pilot regions.
Native status describes where the species occurs naturally. It is not a promise that it suits a particular garden; site conditions decide that.
Related plants
Plan with Afghan pine
Place it in a design, check it against your zone, light and moisture, and see it at year three and year ten.