Scots pine

A species of the genus Pinus in the family Pinaceae. Naturally occurs in Europe and Asia.

It is a medium-sized tree up to 25–40 m in height. The tallest pines grow on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, reaching 45–50 m. Annual increment about 12 cm. In youth it has a conical crown, in maturity – a rounded, broad crown with horizontally growing whorled branches. Shoots are single-whorled, green at first, by the end of the first summer becoming grayish-light-brown. Branches occur in groups of 4–5 and spread like a fan, arranged at the same level around the trunk. Such whorls rise to the very top.

It has a plastic root system that depends on the structure and character of the soil in which the tree grows. Four types of root systems of Scots pine are distinguished: a powerful root system with a taproot and several lateral roots (typical for fresh, well-drained soils); a powerful root system with a weakly developed taproot and strongly developed lateral roots that grow parallel to the soil surface (dry soils with deep groundwater); a weakly developed root system of numerous branched short roots (waterlogged soils – marshy and semi-marshy locations); a dense shallow root system resembling a "brush" (compact soil with deep groundwater).

In dense plantings the trunk is erect, slender, straight and cleared of branches high up. In open or solitary plantings the tree grows less tall and the trunk is more knotty. The bark on the lower part is thick, reddish-brown or gray, furrowed; on the middle and upper parts and on large branches it is yellowish-red, nearly smooth, thin with peeling plates.

Needles are dark green, in pairs, needle length 4–7 cm. From above the needles are convex, underneath stiff, flat, and pointed. Needles remain on the tree for about 2 years. Needles fall together with the dwarf shoots, which are arranged spirally on the main and lateral shoots. The structure of the dwarf shoots is complex – a short stem up to 2 mm, two needles with a dormant bud between them. There are also two types of scales that tightly enclose the shoot; these scales are actually reduced leaves. They are noticeable only in early spring, later they dry and fall off.

Buds are reddish-brown, elongate-ovoid, pointed, 6–12 mm long, resinous, arranged in whorls around the terminal bud at shoot tips. Sometimes they form laterally on shoots but then do not produce branches.

The plant is monoecious. Male cones are gathered in spike-like inflorescences composed of individually seated small cones, 8–12 mm long, yellow or pinkish. Female cones are 3–6 cm long, conical, symmetrical, borne singly or in groups of 2–3, light green or light brown at maturity, matte. They ripen in October–November, 20 months after pollination. Seeds are black, 4–5 mm long, with a membranous wing 12–20 mm long.

Hardiness zone 4. Drought-tolerant.

Forms: 'Watereri', "Альба", "Ауреа", "Globosa Viridis", "Compressa", 'Tastigiata" , Lapland (f. lapponica); Riga (f. rigensis); Siberian (f. sibirica); Cretaceous (f. cretacea); Kulunda (f. kulundensis); Scottish (f. scotica); columnar compact (f. соlumnaris compacta), pyramidal blue (f. руramidalis glauca); weeping (f. pendula); twisted (f. tortuosa), Genevan (f. genevensis), small-statured (f. pumila), dwarf (f. pygmaea), umbrellalike (f. umbraculifera), variegated (f. variegata), snowy (f. nivea), silvery (f. Argentea).

Location: light-loving, not demanding to soil fertility, dislikes compaction. Poorly tolerates air pollution and soil salinity. Does not suffer from heat and drought, wind-resistant. Grows well on well-aerated sandy soils. Requires little moisture.

Planting: Planting is recommended from November to February. Planting hole depth 0.8–1 m. Spacing between plants 3–4 m. On heavy soils with excess moisture, a 20 cm drainage layer is recommended. Growing medium: sand, peat and topsoil in ratio 2:1:1 – for planting in neutral soils. For acidic soils add 200–300 g of lime per hole. Add 150 g superphosphate to the planting mixture per hole; in autumn apply phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.

Care: In the second year after planting apply a complete fertilizer, and in the second half of summer apply phosphorus-potassium fertilizers at 40–50 g per 10 l of water.

Pruning: sanitary pruning. During formative pruning it is recommended to remove no more than one-third of the green mass. To increase crown density remove one-third of the current year's growth while maintaining crown shape. Do not leave bare branches without needles. Formative pruning should not be done earlier than one year after planting. Pruning is recommended from early spring to late autumn.

Diseases: rust, pine wilt, rust cancer (resinous canker), scleroderris (umbrella disease), shoot blight (Schütte?), bark necrosis.

Pests: pine aphid, adelgids, coniferous mealybugs, pine scale, pine bark bug, spider mite, the red pine sawfly, pine processionary caterpillar, pine shoot moth, pine looper, pine owlet moth, pine leaf-mining moth, cone tortrix, cone moth, large and small pine bark beetles, pine longhorn beetle, pine jewel beetle, pine weevil, spotted smolivka (smolyevka tochecknaya).

Propagation: propagated by seed, sown in the ground in early spring, but can also be sown in autumn. Seeds should be pre-stratified for a month. Seedlings are grown on sandy loam and light clay soils. Rarely on sand.

Uses: Used in shelterbelts, parks, for landscaping country health facilities, in groups, mixed plantings and singly. Wood is used in construction and for making various craft items. Resin is used to produce turpentine, rosin, tar and wood vinegar. Buds, needles, young shoots and cones are widely used in medicine. Widely used as bonsai material.