To mark Oman’s Tree Day, Prof. Mahmoud Yaish of the Department of Biology at Sultan Qaboos University spotlighted two lesser-known trees.
The Alalan (Zeravschan juniper) is Oman’s only native conifer. In Arabia it grows only in the western Hajar Mountains, and some trees may be thousands of years old. The Shoua (Moringa peregrina) grows in arid wadis, can grow three to four metres in a year, and its seeds, about 50% oil, contain a protein that helps purify water.
To protect them, he calls for genetic surveys, seed collections held in several locations and nurseries using genetically diverse parent trees. The Oman Botanic Garden’s seed bank already holds seeds from nearly half the country’s plant species.
