Pinus mugo – Mountain Pine

Habitat

• Native to North America and Northern Europe found at very high altitude

Habit and Form

• Shrub 1-3(-5) m tall, with one or more curved trunks; branches long, base laying on the ground (up to 10 m from base), with ± ascending or erect major branch ends; rarely a tree.
• Plants usually monoecious.

Summer Foliage

• Leaves in fascicles of two (rarely three around apical bud of strong shoots), bright to dark green, often with a greyish tinge, straight to slightly twisted, minutely serrulate, 23-75 mm long, 0.9-2.1 mm wide, leaf sheath persistent, grey, 15-18 mm. Leaves persistent (2-) 4-9(-10) years

Autumn Foliage

• As above

Flowers

• Yellow or Red

Cones

• Male cones 10 mm; yellow or red, pollen shed May to July. Female cones purple ripening matte dark brown in late September to October

Bark

• Bark thin, ash-grey-brown to blackish-grey, splitting in angular scaly plates on old stems.

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Pinus mugo mughus – Scrub Pine

Habitat

• Native to North America and Northern Europe found at very high altitude

Habit and Form

• Very small pine rarely reaching a height and spread of its parent
• Shrub 2’ tall, with one or more curved trunks; branches long, base laying on the ground with ascending or erect major branch ends.
• Plants usually monoecious.

Summer Foliage

• Leaves in fascicles of two (rarely three around apical bud of strong shoots), bright to dark green, often with a greyish tinge, straight to slightly twisted, minutely serrulate.

Autumn Foliage

• As above

Flowers

• Yellow or Red

Cones

• Cones purple ripening matt dark brown in late September to October

Bark

• Bark thin, ash-grey-brown to blackish-grey, splitting in angular scaly plates on old stems.

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Pinus mugo pumilio – Dwarf Mountain Pine

Habitat

• Native to North America and Northern Europe found at very high altitude

Habit and Form

• Shrub 1m tall, with one or more curved trunks; branches long, base laying on the ground with ascending or erect major branch ends; rarely a tree.
• Plants usually monoecious.

Summer Foliage

• Leaves in fascicles of two (rarely three around apical bud of strong shoots), bright to dark green, often with a greyish tinge, straight to slightly twisted, minutely serrulate.

Autumn Foliage

• As above

Flowers

• Yellow or Red

Cones

• Cones purple ripening matt dark brown in late September to October

Bark

• Bark thin, ash-grey-brown to blackish-grey, splitting in angular scaly plates on old stems.

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Pinus nigra Austriaca – Austrian Pine

Habitat

• Native to Central Parts of Europe
• Naturalized in most other parts of Europe and Asia
• Although the geographical subspecies have differing biological characteristics and ecological features, all are pioneer trees in mountainous areas at 500-1600m, preferring full sun, a continental climate and hot summers.

Habit and Form

• Tall pine with erect, sometimes sinuous trunk, dense pyramidal crown and horizontal branches, often retained to ground level
• Reaching a height of 20-40 m

Summer Foliage

• Evergreen; in pairs; 8-16 cm; pointed; dark green

Autumn Foliage

• As above

Flowers

• Female flowers in axillary; oval; yellow or pink catkins; clustered in large numbers at base of new shoots
• Male flowers at apex of new shoots; pink or purple; 0.5 cm; April-June

Cones

• Ovoid; 6 × 4 cm; with scales barely projecting; single or in clusters of two to four; sessile. Seeds with wings 2-2.5 cm

Bark

• Grey-black with deep fissures

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Pinus nigra Maritima – Corsican Pine

Habitat

• Native to Central and Southern parts of Europe
• Naturalized in most other parts of Europe and Asia
• Although the geographical subspecies have differing biological characteristics and ecological features, all are pioneer trees in mountainous areas at 500-1600m, preferring full sun, a continental climate and hot summers.

Habit and Form

• Tall pine with erect, sometimes sinuous trunk, dense pyramidal crown and horizontal branches, often retained to ground level
• Reaching a height of 20-40 m
• Probably the best timber pine produced.
• A natural coastal pine

Summer Foliage

• Evergreen; in pairs; 8-16 cm; pointed; dark green
• Curled in appearance when young

Autumn Foliage

• As above

Flowers

• Female flowers in axillary; oval; yellow or pink catkins; clustered in large numbers at base of new shoots
• Male flowers at apex of new shoots; pink or purple; 0.5 cm; April-June

Cones

• Ovoid; 6 × 4 cm; with scales barely projecting; single or in clusters of two to four; sessile. Seeds with wings 2-2.5 cm

Bark

• Grey-black with deep fissures

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Pinus radiata – Monterey Pine

Habitat

• The type variety occurs naturally only at three localities in a fog belt on the coast of central California.
• A good coastal pine.
• Given the right conditions this pine would grow 12 months of the year.

Habit and Form

• Trees 15-30 m tall, 30-90 cm in diameter, contorted to straight; crown broadly conic, becoming rounded to flattened.