Spain has become a botanical melting pot when it comes to trees. There are types of spanish trees that grow there that have been cultivated for thousands of years.
But in the last few centuries, they have been joined by a huge range of new plants from across the world, all of them becoming iconic parts of the flora of Spain’s cities, mountains, and countryside.
That’s what this list is here for. To help show you just how many kinds of trees there are in Spain, with 10 trees that you can find in this Southern Mediterranean coastal country!
1. Common Yew
Native to West Asia and many parts of the Mediterranean, including Spain, the Common Yew is probably one of the most widespread types of trees in Europe.
Common yew is commonly planted in parks and gardens. Its wood is used for furniture and musical instruments such as violins.
Common yew contains many types of chemicals. Some of these chemicals are toxic, while others may benefit humans and animals.
Aside from its toxicity, one of the most impressive things about the Common Yew is its ability to photosynthesize in virtually any type of lighting, whether that’s in open sunlight, or in shaded areas that catch the sun’s rays.
It is one of the reasons that the Common Yew can grow in so many climates across Europe, and not just in Spain.
The common yew tree is sometimes referred to as the European white spruce. However, this name does not accurately describe the common yew tree.
2. Common Spruce
Spruces are one of the most common trees in North America and have since been grown all across Europe, Spain included, where the mountainous regions provide a great home to this family of trees.
Spruce trees produce cones. Cones are seed-bearing structures that contain pollen and seeds. In spruce trees, these cones are called samara cones. Samaras are cone-shaped fruits that develop inside the coniferous woody trunk.
Spruces are evergreen trees. Evergreen trees do not drop their leaves in winter. This means that spruce trees can survive in colder climates than deciduous trees.
Spruce tree needles come in two different shapes. One shape is straight and pointy. The second type of needle is curved and blunt. Both of these types of needles serve a purpose.
Spruce trees can be found growing along rivers, lakes, and streams. They can also be found growing near mountains and hillsides. They grow well in many climates and can live up to 400 years.
3. Almond Tree
Almonds are one of the most popular nuts in the world, and the trees that they grow from are just as widespread. They come in many varieties, shapes, and sizes, and were native to Western Asia and North Africa before spreading to the rest of the world, including the Mediterranean and the Iberian Peninsula.
In modern times, almonds are grown commercially in California, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Chile, Spain, Morocco, Italy, Turkey, and Iran.
The almond tree has been cultivated since ancient times. It grows well in dry climates and thrives in areas where summers are hot and winters are cold.
Trees typically grow between 15–30 feet tall. A mature tree produces about 1 ton of fruit per season. Each almond develops from an oval-shaped seed. The size of the nut ranges from ¼ inch to ½ inch. An average almond weighs about 5 grams.
Almond trees need little maintenance. They do not require fertilization or irrigation, which is one of the reasons that it is so popular to grow on plantations, groves, and farms.
4. Jacaranda
Jacaranda trees are native to South America but are popular trees that are also grown around the world. One of the places where they are popular in Europe is on the Mediterranean-facing coast across Spain, in Andalusia, and the surrounding regions.
They grow to around 50 feet tall, although some have been known to grow as tall as 60 feet tall. When flowering, the trees can produce beautiful lavender-colored purple flowers.
The flowers can be used to make perfume and oil, and the leaves of the jacaranda tree are used to treat fever, cough, and sore throat.
The Jacaranda tree produces fruit that looks like small berries or pods. The fruits are round and contain many small seeds. The berries the plant produces are highly toxic to people, but its flowers are quite safe to consume when they have been prepared correctly.
5. Evergreen Oak
Evergreen oak trees are native to many areas of the Mediterranean, where they grow in a variety of environments. They grow well in cold climates, but they do not tolerate winter temperatures below freezing. They die off in colder areas every winter.
They prefer full sun, but they can adapt to partial shade. The evergreens are large shrubs that reach heights of 30 feet or more. They have dark green leaves and small yellow flowers in early spring.
The evergreen oaks have been used for centuries in landscaping projects. They provide beautiful foliage and color throughout the fall season. They are also very resilient trees and can withstand harsh weather conditions.
In addition to their aesthetic value, these trees provide many important benefits to humans. Evergreen oaks are an excellent source of food for wildlife such as birds and squirrels. They also provide shelter for animals during the winter.
Because of their ability to withstand harsh weather conditions and provide shelter for wildlife, evergreen oaks are frequently planted around homes and businesses. It’s what allowed the Evergreen Oak to survive in the varied climates in and around Spain.
6. Fig Tree
Spain is just one of the many countries where fig trees were originally grown. Figs are one of the oldest cultivated plants. Ancient Egyptians used fig leaves to wrap bread and fish. In ancient Greece, people ate figs as a snack or dessert. Romans grew fig trees in their gardens.
The Black Fig is a species that is native to Spain. This fig tree grows up to 20 feet tall and produces black fruits. There are many varieties of this fig tree. These include the “Seville”, “Cantabria”, “Valdecasas”, “Mijares”, “Toledo”, “Huelva”, and “Algarrobo”.
The common fig tree that also grows in Spain is usually found in urban areas and gardens. It grows up to 10 feet tall. It produces white fruits. There are many varieties of this fig tree, such as “Burgos”, “Pamplona”, “Valencia”, and ”Castellon”.
There are about 40 varieties of fig trees. Figs are native to tropical Asia and Africa. Most of the figs grown in North America are hybrids of Asian and African figs.
7. Cork Oak Trees
Cork oak trees are one of the most common trees in Europe. They grow naturally in many parts of the continent and are widely planted in parks and gardens across the globe, especially in the Mediterranean and Spain, where this family of plants has been growing for millions of years around this inland sea.
In Spain, the cork oak is known as “Palo de corcho” and is used extensively in the production of furniture and floor coverings.
Spain’s cork forests are home to over 100 different types of wildlife, including birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects, spiders, crustaceans, and even marine life.
Today, the cork oak stands as a symbol of strength and endurance, representing the ability of humans to overcome adversity and thrive despite hardship.
Although the cork oak is native to Spain, it was introduced to North America in 1816. Today, there are nearly 1 million acres of cork forest in the U.S., mostly located in Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Virginia.
8. Orange Trees
The Spanish variety of the orange tree is called Naranja de España.
Spain is famous around the world for its citrus groves and farms. Seville, a city found in the Andalusia region of Spain, is famous for its variety of bitter oranges that have been grown in the region for centuries, where they have both been eaten raw, and prepared in marmalade as a preservative.
Orange trees require full sunlight. They grow well indoors as well, although they do prefer to be outdoors.
Oranges are available in many different varieties. The most common types include sweet oranges, sour oranges, navel oranges, and tangerines. Oranges come in both seedless and seeded forms. Seedless oranges are generally sweeter than their seeded counterparts.
9. Lemon Trees
Oranges aren’t the only citrus fruit that has found a home in the Iberian Peninsula. lemons are also a popular fruit that is grown across the Spanish countryside.
The lemon tree is well known in Spain. There are many types of lemons grown in Spain. These include sweet lemons, bitter lemons, pummelo, mandarin, and citron.
Citrons are mainly found in Catalonia where they are used to flavor desserts. However, there are also many varieties of citrons grown in Spain.
Sweet lemons are used to make sweets such as cakes and pastries. Bitter lemons are mainly found in Andalusia where they are used to make drinks such as horchata.
10. Wild Olive Tree
The Mediterranean is famous for being the home of the olive plant and tree, and they are as enthusiastically grown in Spain as they are in Italy, Greece, and any other country.
The olive tree is one of the oldest trees in the world. It was first cultivated in southern Italy and Greece. Olive oil is made from the olives produced using this tree. This oil has been used since ancient times.
Today, olive oil is still widely used in cooking, salads, bread, and desserts. It is also used to make soap and cosmetics.
Conclusion
So, there you have it! 10 of some of the most popular trees that are grown in Spain. Although these are just ten examples of what the land has to offer, there are plenty more plants that can be planted in your garden or on your balcony for that extra Spanish flare.
We hope you found this list useful in finding your favorites!
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The majority of people who have no interest in the subject, and aren’t green fingered assume that all plants and vegetables require the same growing conditions. This is not the case at all. Each plant has its own unique and interesting history and growing process.
I hope you will find The Natural List useful, and that it will help educate you on the wide variety of different flower and plant species there are across the globe.
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