Plant DetailShow Menu

Plants that fill a similar niche:
Pinus flexilis Tree form (Larimer County, CO)-Early Fall
Pinus glabra Form
Pinus parviflora Pinus parviflora 'Glauca' Cone
Pinus cembra has some common insect problems:
Pests of Conifers

Swiss Stone Pine Pinus cembra

Other Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
PY-nus SEM-bruh
Description

Swiss Stone Pine makes a beautiful addition to your landscape, due to its uniform, narrow, columnar form.  The needles remain for 3 to 5 years, creating fullness to the appearance of the tree.  The pyramidal form when young becomes more rounded, open and with a flattened crown as the tree ages.  This cooler climate specimen does not due well in the heat and humidity of the south.

Plant in an area with good air circulation.  Transplants well.

Insect, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  This plant is resistant to most pests and diseases.  Pests that may affect the swiss sone pine are caterpillars, borers, bark beetles, miners, scale, mealybugs, and sawfly.  Some diseases that may occur are blights, rots, canker, and rusts. This tree is susceptible to wind damage.  

 

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Chalet'
    Blue-green needles and a dense, narrow fastigiate form.
  • 'Columnaris'
    Blue-green needles and a dense, narrow fastigate form.
  • 'Compacta'
  • 'Glauca'
  • 'Herman'
    Variety of Prairie Statesman. Erect, densly form with emerald green needles
  • 'Nana'
    Pyramidal habit to 20' tall
  • 'Pygmaea'
    Smaller form with needles tufted in congested growths
  • Silver Whispers™ Swiss Stone Pine
    A compact, hardy evergreen with white-striped dark green needles and violet cones.
  • 'Stricta'
    Columnar form, blue-green needle, dense, narrow habit.
'Chalet', 'Columnaris', 'Compacta', 'Glauca', 'Herman', 'Nana', 'Pygmaea', Silver Whispers™ Swiss Stone Pine, 'Stricta'
Tags:
#evergreen#specimen#conifer#salt spray tolerant#transplant#deer resistant#nighttime garden#picturesque#acidic soils tolerant#alkaline soils tolerant#edible garden#larval host plant#dry soils tolerant#wind damage prone#imperial moth#wildlife friendly
 
Pinus cembra
Form of 'Glauca' F. D. Richards CC-BY-SA 2.0
Pinus cembra
Female cone S. Rae CC BY 2.0
Pinus cembra
Male cones Marcobarci CC BY-SA 4.0
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Chalet'
    Blue-green needles and a dense, narrow fastigiate form.
  • 'Columnaris'
    Blue-green needles and a dense, narrow fastigate form.
  • 'Compacta'
  • 'Glauca'
  • 'Herman'
    Variety of Prairie Statesman. Erect, densly form with emerald green needles
  • 'Nana'
    Pyramidal habit to 20' tall
  • 'Pygmaea'
    Smaller form with needles tufted in congested growths
  • Silver Whispers™ Swiss Stone Pine
    A compact, hardy evergreen with white-striped dark green needles and violet cones.
  • 'Stricta'
    Columnar form, blue-green needle, dense, narrow habit.
'Chalet', 'Columnaris', 'Compacta', 'Glauca', 'Herman', 'Nana', 'Pygmaea', Silver Whispers™ Swiss Stone Pine, 'Stricta'
Tags:
#evergreen#specimen#conifer#salt spray tolerant#transplant#deer resistant#nighttime garden#picturesque#acidic soils tolerant#alkaline soils tolerant#edible garden#larval host plant#dry soils tolerant#wind damage prone#imperial moth#wildlife friendly
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Pinus
    Species:
    cembra
    Family:
    Pinaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Woody
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Seed
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Central Europe
    Wildlife Value:
    This plant supports Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed. Seeds are eaten by small mammals.
    Edibility:
    Cone seeds are edible.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 30 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Perennial
    Tree
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Needled Evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Columnar
    Dense
    Open
    Pyramidal
    Growth Rate:
    Slow
    Maintenance:
    Low
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Soil Texture:
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Available Space To Plant:
    12-24 feet
    NC Region:
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Green
    Purple/Lavender
    Flower Size:
    1-3 inches
    Flower Description:
    Non-flowering. 2 to 3 in. terminal cones, greenish-violet turning purplish-brown. Never open
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Needled Evergreen
    Leaf Color:
    Blue
    Green
    White
    Leaf Feel:
    Soft
    Leaf Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Leaf Type:
    Needles
    Leaf Margin:
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Description:
    2 to 3 in. soft, stiff, straight needles in bundles of 5, blue-green with 5 bluish-white lines
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Dark Brown
    Dark Gray
    Bark Description:
    Bark darkens, becoming scaly and fissured with maturity
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Description:
    Mature branches are dark with scaly plates. New stems are covered with orange-brown hairs.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Lawn
    Meadow
    Naturalized Area
    Recreational Play Area
    Walkways
    Woodland
    Landscape Theme:
    Nighttime Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Winter Garden
    Design Feature:
    Accent
    Barrier
    Border
    Foundation Planting
    Hedge
    Mass Planting
    Screen/Privacy
    Shade Tree
    Specimen
    Attracts:
    Moths
    Small Mammals
    Songbirds
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer