Corsican Pine
Pinus nigra subsp. laricio
Pine familiy (Pinaceae)
A Corsican windbreak
In the 1930s people were concerned about drifting sand. The dunes had to be stabilised. Unemployed Dutch people were put to work planting the dunes with a fast-growing tree whose wood could also be used. They opted for the black pines (that includes the Austrian- and Corsican pine). The Corsican pine is a fast-growing tree with very long needles and a dark bark. It has the ability to root well in dry dunes and withstand the salty air. The Dutch Wadden islands and the dunes of Holland are populated with them still.
The tree forms one whorl of branches each year, just like all other species of the genus Pinus. This way it is easy to tell how old a tree is and how fast it is growing. Truly colossal examples can be found in its country of origin (up to 400 years old and 50 meters high).
Themes
Crown jewel on the Schovenhorst Estate.
Corsican Pine is an important timber tree. It is also widely planted as an ornamental tree in parks and on estates. Its resin is used for turpentine and its cones are used in flower arrangements. Research suggests that the essential oils found in Pinus nigra subsp. laricio could be an alternative herbicide.
Part of the Dutch National Conifer Collection.
Details
Description: | Conifer, up to 50 m, with an open crown and slender, dark grey-green needles borne in pairs. |
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Distributions: | France (corsica) and italy (apennines, sicily). |
Habitat: | Mountains. |
Year cycle: | Perennial (polycarpic evergreen) |
Hardiness: | Colder than -4 f (very hardy) |
Flowering period: | Mei - juni |
Notes on flowers: | Cones ovoid, pale brown. |
Fruiting period: | November - december |