Argan Tree, the "Tree of life"

Argan Tree

Known by Know by the Moroccan Berbers as the "Tree of Life", the Argan tree (Argania Spinosa) grows almost exclusively in Morocco, especially in the arid and semi-arid areas of the southwest. The tree has sustained the Berber inhabitants of theses regions and their livestock for centuries.  Humans consume the oil extracted from the argan nuts; the nutshells are used for fuel. The leaves and fruit nourish goats, camels and sheep. The leaves the dried flesh of the nuts as well as the oil cake that remains after the oil has been pressed out are valuable as animal feed for goats, camels and sheep.

The Argan tree is among the endangered species. In less than a century, more than a third of the argan forest has disappeared. The ecological importance of this rare specie has been endorsed when the Argon Forest area UNESCO added the tree to the World Heritage Site list in 1999, thus creating an Arganeraie Biosphere Reserve of about he 2.5 million ha.

The tree belongs to the saponaceous family. Argan tree has a life span of 150 - 200 years due to its resistance ability to the aridity of the region where it grows.

Argan tree grows up to 80-10 meters high.

It is estimated that the argan forest (Arganerie) grows on an area of 700.000 to 800.000 ha, about 14.25% of the forest in Morocco, and the largest concentration of argan trees are found in the Souss region.