Apache Pine vs Cilician Fir

Pinus engelmannii compared with Abies cilicica

Key Differences

• Apache Pine is Least Concern while Cilician Fir is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Apache Pine	Cilician Fir
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum same	Coniferophyta (Conifers)	Coniferophyta (Conifers)
Class same	Pinopsida (Conifers)	Pinopsida (Conifers)
Order same	Pinales (Pines & Allies)	Pinales (Pines & Allies)
Family same	Pinaceae (Pine Family)	Pinaceae (Pine Family)
Genus	Pinus (Pines)	Abies
Species	Pinus engelmannii	Abies cilicica

Evolutionary Relationship

Apache Pine and Cilician Fir share a common ancestor at the Family level: Pinaceae. (Pine Family)

Conservation Status

Apache Pine

LC — Least Concern

Cilician Fir

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Apache Pine	Cilician Fir
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Apache Pine

Habitat

Typically found in temperate and boreal forests, often at higher elevations.

Cilician Fir

Habitat

Typically found in temperate and boreal forests, often at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Sweden. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Apache Pine

The Apache Pine (Pinus engelmannii) is a species in the genus Pinus. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in temperate and boreal forests, often at higher elevations.

Cilician Fir

Cilician fir (Abies cilicica) is a large conifer in the family Pinaceae, native to the Taurus and Anti-Taurus mountains of southern Turkey and the mountain ranges of Lebanon and Syria, including Mount Lebanon and the Ansariyah range. It grows at elevations between approximately 1,000 and 2,400 meters in cool, moist montane forests, often forming pure stands or mixing with cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani), oriental beech (Fagus orientalis), and other conifers. Trees can reach 30 meters in height with a conical crown and upswept branches bearing glossy, dark green needles. The species is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN, reflecting ongoing habitat pressures including deforestation, overgrazing, charcoal production, and the long-term effects of climate change reducing precipitation in the eastern Mediterranean. Populations in Syria and Lebanon have been severely reduced by historical forest clearance and remain highly fragmented. Turkish populations in the Taurus and Anti-Taurus are more extensive and partly protected within national parks and forest reserves. Cilician fir forests provide critical watershed protection, biodiversity habitat, and climate regulation services in a region facing intensifying water stress. Reforestation efforts using native seed sources and protection of remaining natural stands are priority conservation actions. The species is occasionally cultivated as an ornamental in European gardens.