Types of Pines

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The Pine family (Pinaceae) is quite extensive with a range of species and genera including Abies, Cedrus, Keteleeria, Larix, Picea, Pinus, Pseudolarix, Pseudotsuga and Tsuga. Pines are softwood trees and are classified into groups dependent on the number of needles they have.

Japanese Red Pine

They are evergreen with specially adapted leaves in the form of needles which are borne in bundles of 2, 3 or 5. They reproduce via seeds that are protected by cones and the male and female strobili are borne on the same tree in late spring and early summer. The cones ripen in their second year but not all release their seed until the cones actually fall off the tree or are forced open by fire. They are a hardy species of tree and are adapted for exposed conditions and succeed in a range of locations including on poor soils, in rocky outcrops and coastal sites.

Scots Pine

Here are a few of the Two needle pines

  • Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris)
  • Red Pine (Pinus resinosa)
  • Japanese Red Pine (Pinus densiflora)
  • Bishops Pine (Pinus muricata)
  • Austrian Pine (Pinus nigra var nigra)
  • Crimean Pine (Pinus var caramanica)
  • Corsican Pine (Pinus nigra var maritime)
  • Shore Pine (Pinus contorta)
  • Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var latifolia)
  • Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana)
  • Mountain Pine (Pinus mugo)
  • Bosnian Pine (Pinus leucodermis)
  • Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergii)
  • Aleppo Pine (Pinus halepensis)
  • Calabrian Pine (Pinus brutia)
  • Stone Pine (Pinus pinea)
  • Maritime Pine (Pinus pinaster)

 

Three needle pines include:-

  • Monterey Pine (Pinus radiata)
  • Knobcone Pine (Pinus attenuate)
  • Notern Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida)
  • Mexican Pine (Pinus patula)
  • Jeffrey Pine (Pinus jeffreyi)
  • Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa)
  • Bigcone Pine (Pinus coulteri)
  • Lacebark Pine (Pinus bungeana)

Japanese White Pine 

Five needle pines include:-

  • Foxtail Pine (Pinus balfouriana)
  • Bristlecone Pine (Pinus aristata)
  • Montezuma Pine (Pinus montezumae)
  • Bhutan Pine (Pinus wallichiana)
  • Holford Pine (Pinus x holfordiana)
  • Mexican White Pine (Pinus ayacahuite)
  • Weymouth Pine (Pinus strobus)
  • Sugar Pine (Pinus lambertiana)
  • Macedonian Pine (Pinus peuce)
  • Western White Pine (Pinus monticola)
  • Chinese White Pine (Pinus armandii)
  • Arolla Pine (Pinus cembra)
  • Japanese White Pine (Pinus parviflora)
  • Limber Pine (Pinus flexilis)
  • Korean Pine (Pinus koraiensis)