Roman Pine Pinus pinea
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- PY-nus PY-nee-uh
- Description
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The umbrella pine has a single trunk with branches at the top radiating out like an umbrella. You can find it growing in the coastal dunes and lower hills of the Mediterranean. It grows best the full sun in sandy to loam soil with a slightly acidic pH. The edible seeds are released when the cones get hot. Deer browsing and drought do not bother well-established trees. This tree is used as a Christmas tree in some areas.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Pine needle scale, Sawflies, borers and moths can be pests. It can suffer from fungus Diplodia pinea and Mycosphaerella pini or red band needle blight. This tree is susceptible to wind damage.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Pinus
- Species:
- pinea
- Family:
- Pinaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- The resin of this pine is used for varnishes, furniture wax and as an antiseptic and for kidney and bladder problems. A green dye can be made from the needles. The pine nuts are edible.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Grafting
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- 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.
- Play Value:
- Edible fruit
- Textural
- Edibility:
- The seeds are highly edible and sold in the market as 'pine nuts'. They can be eaten raw or roasted.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Maintenance:
- Low
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
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Fruit:
- Fruit Description:
- It does not have fruits, produces cones with cream-colored egg-shaped edible seeds. Dried cones are used in flower arrangments.
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Flowers:
- Flower Description:
- Non-flowering
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Needles are in groups of 2 and are covered with a dull gray wax coating when young but become dark green and glossy when older.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Dark Gray
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Surface/Attachment:
- Fissured
- Patchy
- Bark Plate Shape:
- Irregular
- Bark Description:
- Orange to red-brown with gray patches and thick scaly irregular fissures
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Winter Garden
- Attracts:
- Moths
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
