The Argan tree is indigenous to the arid southwest region of Morocco. This thorny tree has a deep root system that is well adapted to the semi-desert environment. Characterized by its toughness, an Argan tree can reach the age of 200. The rare oil produced from the Argan tree, in its purest form, is well-known across the globe for its exceptional quality, and accordingly, its expensive price.

Here are some interesting facts you may not know about the Argan tree:

Argan fruit seeds – The pit of each fruit contains between 1 to 3 almond-shaped kernels. These kernels are used to produce the famous Argan oil used for food, health and cosmetics applications. It takes about 32 kilograms of fruit - roughly one season's produce from a single tree - to make one liter of oil!

UNESCO – The Organization of Education, Science and Culture of the United Nations – UNESCO - declared an area of about 26 million acres situated between the Atlas Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean in Morocco as the Arganeraie Biosphere Reserve. As such, UNESCO funds the activities required to preserve the trees in their natural environment.

Berbers – The Argan Tree has been known for centuries to the Berbers, who are the indigenous residents of the region in which the trees grow. They have been producing Argan oil by traditional methods for generations.

Shape of the tree - Similar in shape to olive trees, the Argan tree is bigger and rounder than its Mediterranean counterpart.

 

Production of the oil – For hundreds of years the oil was produced in Morocco using traditional Berber methods devoid of any mechanical means. Mechanical equipment was introduced in place of manual labor in recent years. Today, the whole process is performed using fully automated and advanced equipment.

 

Lobby for tree preservation – Due to overgrazing by goats and a wood-hungry local population, the number of Argan trees has decreased to less than half of their number 50 years ago. An international lobby has been formed to support the preservation of the endangered Argan tree.

Goats – In the old days, goats used to be an essential part of the oil production process. Goats would climb the trees to eat the Argan fruit and spit out or defecate the hard pit, which was later collected by the Berbers. The pits were cracked open and the kernels were used to produce oil.