The Negev Highland, Nahal Elot with unique trees.

The classical Negev tree is the acacia that gradually disappears from the landscape when you drive south and up into the Negev Highland to Mitzpe Ramon. Nahal Elot is on the north western side of the Ramon Mahtesh not far from the Egyptian border. Here you see another very unique tree: in Hebrew the ela tree, in English pistacia atlantica.

We started under 'the pyramide' or 'Head of Elot' with a beautiful ela under the mountain

Once upon a time (20,000 years ago) these trees covered huge areas around the Mediterranean including North Africa and the Middle East, and into the Persian steppes from where it had originated.

But 10,000 years ago, when climate change caused the glaciers of north Europe to melt, it became too warm and too dry in Israel for the ela tree to thrive so the natural forest disappeared leaving only sporadic clusters of ela trees in high altitude areas like the Negev Highland.

An areal survey in 1970 estimated that there were about 1400 elot left in the Negev Highland.

A recent estimate reported that in Nahal Elot there are 180 living trees left, these giants are estimated to be about 400-1000 years old.

These beautiful very green trees stand out against the yellowish desert; this nahal should really be seen in the season of leaves and not during the winter when all the trees are naked and sad and impossible to see whether it is alive or not.

We were there in May 2021, because of the altitude it was not too hot, but of course the air-condition in the jeep contributed to a comfortable temperature.

A beautiful giant. green and impressive

The ela tree has very deep roots and therefore quite resistant to drought and prevents soil erosion and desertification. So, it is very unfortunate that for the past two hundred years they have not reproduced; they are not self-fertile as each tree is either male or female.

The ela tree grows slowly and is fertile only after a decade. The nahal was full of quite aggressive flies that could potentially pollinate the trees; to eat our picnic without too many flies we did find a huge tree between two hills that caused a nice breeze and prevented the flies from disturbing us.

Once a living giant; now just a skeleton

The jeeps give perspective

Under the ela tree shadow and perfect for a picnic

In late autumn the trees get fall colors of orange red so you can go leaf peeking, these photos are from November 2020:

The ela is not on fire

The end of the nahal Elot

Last sight before driving home. It was a very nice tour.

Tag: Negev Highland; Nahal Elot,