Saudi Arabia has an amazing number of trees for such an arid country. These are mainly scattered over large areas, but sometimes they grow close together, forming small forests. The fragile flora within the Kingdom's harsh environments may sometimes appear dry and lifeless, but nature has developed numerous ways to sustain life in dry, scorching climates. From growing long taproots to ingenious methods of seed dispersal and symbiotic or parasitic relationships, plants can thrive with the support of other species. Desert flora possesses many fascinating mechanisms to find and retain water and nutrients.
The largest and most common trees of the region are the acacia, the ghaf, date palm and the Christ’s thorn tree. Palm trees are the most important as their fruit, fronds and bark have been indispensable to the daily lives of the local people for centuries. The date palm was so vital to the Bedouin living in the desert that they named it ‘the tree of life’. It provided shade and protection from strong winds and dates for sustenance.
Ashoura coastal trees are also important for both bird and marine life, and thrive in salty waters along both coasts. Ashoura roots offer protection to juvenile fish and, in turn, these nurseries provide a rich source of food for the birds nesting and breeding in the Ashoura coastal trees or visiting during migration. Large populations of pink flamingos and underwater crabs inhabit Ashoura coastal tree forests and they're a great place to spot both native and migrating birds.
ACACIA
Acacia tortilis
Of the half-dozen acacia species found in Saudi Arabia, the umbrella-shaped tree is most common, occurring on gravel and sandy plains. Known as 'salam' or 'samr' in Arabic, the acacia has pale yellow flowers and all parts of the tree are eaten by camels despite its vicious thorns. 'Double-storey’ acacias occur when browsing camels can't reach the central branches and they form shoots, causing a second bush to grow on top.
ARABIAN ALMOND
Prunus arabica
Notable for the beautiful white blossoms that flourish during the cooler spring months of February through to April, this shrubby tree is really a high-mountain plant. The long branches have small leaves that fall soon after spring ends, and the little nuts are edible. Over the years, mountain dwellers have used the hard wood of the tree, known as 'mizzi' in Arabic, to make strong handles for their small axe head, the 'yir'.
CHRIST THORN-TREE
Ziziphus spina-christi
The 'sidr', as it's called in Arabic, is common in wadis and plantations. It grows where the ground water is close to the surface, even if it can't be seen. The tree’s tangy fruits, called 'nabaq', are enjoyed by humans and animals. Goats are also known to eat the fallen blossoms. Cultivated nabaq fruits are sold at local markets. They look like dates but are crisp and taste more like apples.
DATE PALM
Phoenix dactylifera
The date palm, or 'nakhl' in Arabic, plays an important role in the culture of Saudi Arabia and the entire Arabian Peninsula. It is reported that there are a hundred different recipes based on dates. Besides the fruit, other parts of the tree are used: leaves for thatching and constructing walls and boats, trunks for roof beams and bark for making rope. The date palm leaves can also be woven into mats and baskets. Saudi Arabia is the largest exporter of dates and more than 240 types of date are cultivated here. There are many different kinds of palm including the Phoenix caespitosa, known as 'Alajmi' in Arabic, which is native to the Arabian Peninsula.
DESERT DATE
Balanites aegyptiaca
The desert date grows into a spiny shrub or tree up to 10m tall and is found across the dry land areas of the Middle East. It has medicinal properties and was traditionally used to treat jaundice, intestinal worm infections, wounds, malaria, syphilis, epilepsy, dysentery, constipation, diarrhoea, haemorrhoids, stomach ache, asthma and fever.
DOUM PALM
Hyphaene thebaica
The doum palm is a type of palm tree that grows extensively in the Hijaz Mountains in north-western Saudi Arabia. It has a number of stems, each with a separate crown. All parts of the doum palm have been used by the Bedouin for basket weaving, thatching and making ropes. Doum nuts, roots, stems and leaves were used in medicine for their anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.
GHAF
Prosopis cineraria
Ghaf grow in both sandy and rocky habitats. Their seeds are often eaten by animals, especially goats, and new saplings grow from the offshoots, resulting in ghaf forests. Its taproot can penetrate up to 65m deep to reach water reservoirs under the dunes and hills, enabling ghaf to survive droughts. The leaves, branches and fruits are eaten by wild and domestic ungulates (hoofed mammals), while unbrowsed trees resemble weeping willows.
JUNIPER TREE
Juniperus procera
The juniper tree is native to the Arabian Peninsula. Its largest concentration is in the mountainous areas around Abha and Baha. These mountain slopes are green and still covered with juniper, although these forests used to be much more extensive, covering areas of the entire Sarawat escarpment. Climate change and deforestation are the main reasons for their decline, but efforts are being made to restore the lost juniper habitat. New saplings originating from local trees are being replanted in the same environment – with excellent survival rates. The tree looks gnarled and twisted because of the wind, and reaches a maximum height of 3m. It's a protected species and very characteristic of the region.
ASHOURA COASTAL TREES
Only two species of Ashoura coastal tree occur in Saudi Arabia: The grey or white Ashoura (Avicennia marina) is the most dominant and the only species on the mainland, and the Asiatic variety (Rhizophora mucronata) is found only on the Farasan Islands.
Ashoura coastal trees – known as 'qurm' in Arabic – have a special root system with pneumatophores, also called ‘breathing roots’, that stick up out of the mud. They can excrete excess salt through their leaves, enabling them to live in highly saline conditions. They flourish off the coast, creating a special habitat for an array of creatures, including the young of many marine species.
SODOM’S APPLE
Calotropis procera
Growing in sandy deserts, this shrub occasionally reaches tree height and is common in overgrazed areas because goats and camels don't like eating the white latex it produces. The large leaves are covered with fine white hairs that create a moisture-retaining microclimate close to the surface of the leaf. The fruits resemble squat bananas with thousands of seeds attached to long silken threads, enabling them to be carried away by the wind. It's called 'ashar' in Arabic.
TOOTHBRUSH TREE
Salvadora persica
This plant, called 'arakh' in Arabic, is typically found as a shrub, but can grow into a tall, straggly tree. It's a popular food source for the caterpillars that transform into the blue-spotted Arab butterfly. Small branches of the tree are chewed by local people to clean the teeth and massage the gums. The toothbrush tree has tiny flowers and small red berries, as well as a strong, rather unpleasant smell.
WILD DRUMSTICK TREE&
Moringa peregrina
The most common tree to grow at higher elevations, the wild drumstick tree – or 'yasar' in Arabic – can be found throughout the Arabian Peninsula if conditions are favourable. Throughout the springtime, when the tree is in full flower, the pink blossoms have a sweet fragrance and the pods are dark brown and woody.
