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Pinus sylvestris

Pinus sylvestris

Taxonomy

Kingdom
Plantae
Order
Pinales
Family
Pinaceae - conifers
Genus
Pinus
Species
PINUS SYLVESTRIS
Synonyms
Scotch pine, Baltic pine

Habitat / Home / Areal

It is the only pine native to Northern Europe. It grows in a wide area of Europe and North Asia.

Botanical description

Habitus: grows up to 40 meters high, with a trunk up to 1 meter wide. The crown is light green, and the branches are arranged like vertebrae. In older trees, the crown is sparse due to the bare trunk. The root is strong with a pronounced heart vein that penetrates deep into the soil, and has numerous lateral roots. The bark is thin and reddish-brown when young, and becomes gray-brown, thick and cracked with age.

Flower: They bloom from April to June. Male flowers are yellow, egg-shaped, up to 1 cm long, collected in 3-8 cm long clusters. The female cones are on a stem, 3-8 cm long, 2-3 cm wide, woody, initially reddish-purple and upright, later turning brown and bending backwards. They ripen in October of the following year, fall in the spring of the third year. The seeds are dark brown, 3-4 mm long, the wings are 3-4 times longer than the seed.

Leaves: The needles are placed in clusters of two, semi-cylindrical, flattened, twisted, flexible, prickly, 4-7 cm long, up to 2 mm wide. The needles remain on the tree for 2-3 years. They bloom from April to June.

Growth conditions / Cultivation / Care

Pine grows in various habitats and adapts well to different types of soil – on dry, sandy, stony, and calcareous substrates (for optimal cultivation, rich and moderately moist black pine is required, and it does not tolerate swampy and waterlogged soils.) It is extremely adaptable to the cold, tolerates frost well. It can be planted or sown in early spring – March or April, and the minimum temperature should be 10°C. It is often grown as a plan for its decorative appearance.

Gallery

Use / Function and landscape

  • Solitary planting
  • Planting in groups of three at a 7m distance
  • Branches with leaves for floral design or flower arrangement

Special use

In early spring, the needles and young shoots are collected, because then they contain a high level of vitamin C. The needles can be used to make tea or homemade cough syrup. An essential oil rich in monoterpenes is obtained from the needles, which is used for rheumatic problems and for stimulating the adrenal gland

Reproduction

Propagated by cuttings or seeds. In nature, it is propagated by seeds.

Varieties

Pinus sylvestris Globosa Viridis

Pinus sylvestris Watereri

Pinus sylvestris Candlelight

Pinus sylvestris Globosa Viridis

Diseases and pests

Diseases: shedding of older pine needles, shedding of younger pine needles, black spotting of needles

Pests: aphids, red spider