Identifying Pines

You know it's a pine because: the needles are long (usually at least 4cm), fleshy and in multiples of two to five with a sheath around the base of the needles.

Not to be confused with: Deodar with needles in rosettes; the rare Japanese Umbrella Pine, which has single, pine-like needles in whorls

---

Identifying pines always begins by counting the number of needles in each (mature) cluster.

Two-needle species are the commonest: if the needles are short (not more than 10cm) and somewhat twisted then it is likely to be Scots Pine, the only native pine, with its orange upper bark; if the upper bark is grey then it is probably a form of P.contorta (Lodgepole/Shore Pine).

If the needles are longer, then it is most likely to be a form of P.nigra, usually the shorter-needled Austrian Pine (ssp. nigra) in gardens and parks, and almost certainly the longer-needled Corsican Pine (ssp. laricio) if in a plantation. Other reasonably frequent two-needle pines are Stone Pine with very thick needles and massive cones, and Maritime Pine with particularly long (25cm) needles.

Three-needle species are uncommon: Monterey Pine is distinctive, as it retains its cones, so that even large branches have cones attached; Ponderosa Pine (P.ponderosa) is also sometimes seen.

Five-needle species usually have long, soft, lax needles; Bhutan Pine is by far the commonest, with large cones. There are also five-needle pines with stiff, short leaves, such as Rocky Mountain Bristlecone Pine

 
 

---

Click on an orange link to display the associated image; click on the image to see the larger parent image in a separate window

Copyright © 2007 Philip Brassett