What are the characteristics of pine trees? The latest comprehensive analysis

Pine trees are plants of the genus Pinus in the family Pinaceae. They are not only numerous in species but also widely distributed. They have whorled branching with long internodes. The branchlets are relatively slender, straight or slightly curved downward, and the needles are slender and borne in bundles. Their crowns look loose and not compact, and the character “song” (meaning pine) is precisely a vivid description of the crown's characteristics. Now let us take a look together at what characteristics pine trees have!

Large tree form

Most species of pine are tall, upright trees. At maturity they reach 45 m in height and 1.5 m in diameter at breast height, and their wood is good, with no lack of timber fit for pillars. The “king of timber” of Northeast China——Korean pine, the tall tree species widely distributed in western North America——ponderosa pine (up to 75 m tall), the fastest-growing pine native to the coast of California in the United States——radiata pine, slash pine native to the southeastern United States, Caribbean pine native to the Caribbean region of the Americas, and Scots pine widely distributed in western and northern Eurasia, among others, are all famous timber species.

Many species

There are nearly 80 or more species of pine in the world, such as Chinese pine, Mongolian Scots pine, Japanese black pine, Japanese red pine, masson pine, Huangshan pine, high-mountain pine, Bashan pine, Taiwan pine, North American shortleaf pine, Yunnan pine, Simao pine, slash pine, loblolly pine, oocarp pine, Himalayan pine, Guangdong pine, Anhui five-needle pine, Dabie Mountain five-needle pine, dwarf Siberian pine, Taiwan fruit pine, sugar pine, dwarf Siberian pine, ground pine, Xinjiang five-needle pine, Buddhist pine, singleleaf pinyon, European black pine, Scots pine, European mountain pine, Banks pine, and lodgepole pine, among others.

Wide distribution

Pine trees are extremely widely distributed. Among the pines native to China, Mongolian Scots pine, Xinjiang five-needle pine and dwarf Siberian pine are the most cold-tolerant and have the lowest heat requirements; Korean pine also has relatively low heat requirements; Japanese red pine, Chinese pine, lacebark pine, Huashan pine, high-mountain pine, Huangshan pine and Bashan pine are tree species of warm temperate and subtropical high-altitude areas; masson pine, Yunnan pine, Himalayan pine and Simao pine are distributed in more southerly regions; and Merkus pine has the highest heat requirements. As for requirements for moist conditions, five-needle pines are generally higher than two-needle pines, but this also varies by species. For example, among five-needle pines, Korean pine requires moister conditions than Huashan pine; and among two-needle pines, Japanese red pine and masson pine have higher requirements for moisture conditions than Chinese pine and Yunnan pine.

Long lifespan

Pine trees are sturdy and have very long lifespans. Experts have found through research that their lifespans are generally over 1200 years. In Chinese folk culture there is the simile “longevity like the southern mountain pine”, which also shows that pine trees have long lifespans. On the cliff wall at the entrance of the rear hall of Nanshan Temple in Gui County, Guangxi, stands a “evergreen pine” more than 3,000 years old. The fruiting conditions of pines also differ: some varieties can bear a small amount of fruit at 5-6 years and increase markedly at 15-20 years (masson pine, Chinese pine, Yunnan pine, etc.), while some species bear fruit very late. For example, under natural forest conditions, Korean pine does not begin to bear fruit until 80-140 years.

Strong adaptability

Pine trees have extremely strong adaptability to terrestrial environments. They can tolerate low temperatures of -60°C or high temperatures of 50°C, and can grow in bare mineral soil, sandy soil, volcanic ash, calcareous soil, limestone soil, and various soils ranging from podzolic soil to red soil. They are drought-tolerant and tolerant of barren conditions, and they like sunlight. Some pines, such as Japanese black pine introduced to China from Japan, have relatively strong salt resistance.

High value

Pine trees have extremely high value. Their wood can be used for many purposes such as construction, utility poles, railway sleepers, mine props, bridges, farm tools, utensils and furniture. The cellulose content of various pine woods is about 50-60%, and the lignin content is 25-30%. They are one of the important raw materials for the pulp and paper industry, and can also be used as fuelwood. Because their tree form is majestic and vigorous, and the trees are tall and long-lived, they also have important ornamental value. In addition, pine trees also have extremely high medicinal value.