In terms of vegetation, the Costa del Sol is primarily associated with palm trees and citrus trees. However, Andalusia also boasts impressive coniferous forests. It is here that Spain’s unique fir species, the pinaspo, grows.
Visit Pinaspar de Grazalema
The Sierra de Grazalema mountain range is located in the western part of the province of Cadiz. You can get there from Malaga in less than two hours, from Ronda in about 40 minutes. The gateway to the reserve and the best place to leave your car is the small town of the same name, Grazalema.
One of the main natural attractions of the Sierra de Grazalema is the Spanish fir. It is a species that grows in just a few places in Andalusia – in the provinces of Malaga and Cadiz, as well as in a small area in the north of Morocco.
The forest, covering 400 hectares of the Sierra de Grazalema reserve – named Sierra del Pinar – is the largest concentration of Spanish fir in the world. In the local language, the species is referred to as pinaspo and the fir forests as pinaspares. The forest is commonly referred to as Pinaspar de Grazalema.
It is worth remembering that access to the pinaspar fir trail in the Sierra de Grazalema is only possible with a permit or in the company of a licensed guide.
See also:
Setenil de las Bodegas – magical pueblo blanco
Sailing on the waves of history in Castellar de la Frontera
High requirements of the Spanish fir
The Spanish fir is found in so few places because it requires the right climate to thrive. Preferably in the mountainous south of Andalusia. This is because firs need a large amount of rainfall for a Mediterranean climate. The Sierra de Grazalema, on the other hand, is one of the rainiest places on the entire Iberian Peninsula. The firs grow on a shady northern slope, so that the soil in which they have roots maintains sufficient moisture.
Pinaspo trees grow from 20 to even 30 metres in height. The Spanish fir is a member of the group of phanerogamous plants. It is characterised by its pyramidal crown shape and dark green needles. The cones reach a length of 10 to 20 centimetres. According to scientists, Spanish firs spread across present-day Spain during the cool Tertiary period, which began around 65 million years ago. The Spanish fir was first described in the scientific literature in 1837 by Swiss botanist Edmond Boissier.
