dialect; it is served in bowls, covered with cream, and topped with almonds and small candies. The Maltese dessert prinjolata is also prepared using these pine nuts, both in its filling as well as a topping. Aleppo pine are used for bonsai. Forestry In its native area, P. halepensis is widely planted for its fine timber, making it one of the most important forestry trees in Algeria and Morocco. In Israel, natural patches of Aleppo pine forests can be found in the Carmel and Galilee regions. The Aleppo pine, along with Pinus brutia, has been planted extensively by the Jewish National Fund. It proved very successful in Yatir Forest in the northern Negev (on the edge of the desert), where foresters had not expected it to survive. Many Aleppo pine forests exist today in Israel and are used for recreational purposes. Although it is a local species, some argue that the historical replacement of natural oak maquis shrubland and garrigue with tall stands of pine has created "ecological deserts" and has significantly changed the species assemblage of these regions. The species produces timber which is valued for its hardness, density and unproblematic seasoning. Seasoned timber is inclined to tear out with planing, but this can be avoided by using sharp blades or adjusting the sharpening angle of tools. The Aleppo pine is considered an invasive species though useful in South Africa; in South Australia, a control program is in place on Eyre Peninsula. Landscape Pinus halepensis is a popular ornamental tree, extensively planted in gardens, parks, and private and agency landscapes in hot dry areas such as Southern California and the Karoo in South Africa, where the Aleppo pine's considerable heat and drought tolerance, fast growth, and aesthetic qualities are highly valued. In culture Paul Cézanne had an Aleppo pine in his garden at Aix-en-Provence; this tree was the inspiration and model for his painting The Big Trees. As of 2005, the tree is still growing in Cézanne's garden. References External links Gymnosperm Database: Pinus halepensis Pinus halepensis—distribution map, genetic conservation units and related resources. European Forest Genetic Resources Programme (EUFORGEN) Drought-tolerant trees Flora of Lebanon and Syria Flora of Palestine (region) Garden plants of Africa Garden plants of Asia Least concern plants Ornamental trees Plants described in 1768 halepensis Trees of Europe Trees of Mediterranean climate Trees of Morocco Taxa named by Philip Miller Flora of Malta Flora of