Pine tree

(Pinus sylvestris L.)

Pine is a conifer of the monoecious pine family. The most widespread tree species in Latvia. The lifespan of a common pine is 200-500 years. It can reach a height of up to 40 m. Pines grow in swamps and dry places. They have a long taproot that allows them to stay in the sand and reach the deep underground waters.

Pines (Pinus) - a genus of the pine family (Pinaceae). Only common pine (P. sylvestris) grows wild in Latvia. It is an evergreen size 1 monoecious conifer with a straight, slender trunk and strong root system. In deep, loose sand, a long taproot and a network of lateral roots are formed, in peaty soils there is no taproot. The bark is smooth in the upper part of the trunk, and in the lower part it becomes a grey-brown crust early on. Common pine produces only 1 spike each year. Needles linear, 3-7 cm long, blue-green, 2 each on short spikes; stays on the tree for 2-3 years. Stamens are collected in yellow microstrobils at the bottom of the young shoots, seed pods - in purple-red macrostrobils, which are 1 or more at the top of the spikelets. Blooms V b. - VI. Pollinated by the wind. Pollen with 2 vesicles and the wind carries them for kilometers. After flowering, the macrostrobils (cone caps) bend down and remain unchanged until the following spring, when they begin to grow rapidly. A cone grows up to 7 cm long, which is green at first and later turns gray. The cone consists of lignified cotyledons (cone scales). At their top there is a characteristic highlight - a shield. Behind each cone scale are 2 winged seeds (the wing encloses the forked seed). The seeds arrive in X, fall out in IV-VI of the following year (so in the 3rd year after flowering). Spread by the wind. The cones open in the tree and fall off unbroken.

In Latvia, common pine is the most common tree in the entire territory. It has a wide ecological amplitude - from sand dunes to high marshes. It grows both in pure stands and mixed stands with spruce, birch, less often with oak and other deciduous trees. In pine forests, spruce often forms the second floor. Common pine grows best in well-drained, loose sand soil (in fertile soil it is branchy, less valuable).

It occupies 38% of the total area of ​​Latvian forests. It reaches a height of 46 m (in Tërvete silage) and a circumference of 4 m. Life span up to 350 years. (The biggest pines in Latvia are Kalnieku pine in Talsu district, Aļļu pine in Ventspils district and Elste pine in Gulbene district) Propagate only by seeds.

The wood is resinous, with distinct years, durable, with good mechanical properties. Used in construction, furniture industry, firewood. Buds and needles are used in medicine, needles (they contain a lot of essential oil, vitamin C) - also in perfumery and chemistry. in industry as well as for fodder. The usual ∆ is often used to strengthen sandstones. 20th century start. planted pine trees all around Riga create a green area and improve the composition of the air. Pines are damaged by deer, elk, red deer, as well as many insects and their larvae. They are gk. butterflies (pine top pusher, pine borer, pine spinner), beetles (large and small pine borer, large pine weevil), hymenoptera (pine owl, sawfly). Pines also suffer from diseases caused by some fungi (pine-aspen rust, root rot). Of the introduced s. Banks pine (P. banksiana; no forestry significance) from N-America, bushy mountain ∆ (P. mugo; Bolderāja, Mangaļi, Vecāki, etc.) have been planted in the sands of Latvia, which in some places also become wild, and black ∆ (P. nigra; very decorative, needles long, hard) from the mountains of S-Europe and W-Europe. Centennial pine (P. strobus; wild in North America, 5 needles each, long, soft) plantations are in Skrīveros, near Bauņi, Škėdė. Forest. purposes, this ∆ is no longer grown because it suffers massively from rust. Also the decor. in plantations it is replaced by Rumelia pine (P. peuce; wild in the mountains of the Balkan Peninsula), which does not suffer from rust.

© Forest encyclopedia

* The size of pine seeds is a ~2mm nut. They are shown enlarged in this picture. There are approximately 150,000 seeds in one kilogram.

This box contains

  • Seeds
  • Soil
  • Clay pot
  • Clay tray
  • Tutorial
Buy this box

Mini box

This mini box differs from the usual one in that it is smaller and weighs only 25 grams.

  • Boxes 65x65x65mm
  • Seeds for a tree of your choice
  • Peat tablets
  • A paper pot
  • Tutorials

All you have to do is remove and moisten the peat tablet, plant the seeds in it, and years later you will have your own tree.

Buy a mini pine tree

Pine available in these products

1 8