Pinus nigra maritima commonly known as Corsican Pine is
native to North America and Europe. It is fast-growing and lightly branched
conifer. It is moderately fast growing tree, at about 30-70 cm (12-28 inch) per year.Also it is a large evergreen tree, growing to 20-55 meters (66-180 ft) high at maturity and spreading to 6-12 (20-40 ft) wide. The young twigs are yellowish-brown and ridged. Later they become much
roughened by the persistent needle bases. The light brown, resinous buds are up
to 2.5 cm long, and are broad at their base, suddenly tapering to a sharp
point. The young shoots stand upright in May and June like white-green candles.
The needles are grayish-green or sage-green, 8-13 cm long, in pairs, bound
together at their base by a grey sheath consisting of membranous scales. They
are often twisted and are stout and densely arranged on the shoots.
The flowers of both sexes are found on the same tree. The
male catkin-like flowers lie at the base of the young shoot and are yellow at
the time of pollination. The red females at the tips of new shoots are minute
cone-lets which later expand to asymmetrical cones 3-5 cm in length, becoming
shiny, hard and mid-brown; the raised portion of each scale (the umbo) bears a
knob. The cones open in the spring or summer of the second year after
fertilization and release winged seeds.
The rough, grayish to dark brown bark is fissure and flakes
off. The branches are whorled, often at wide intervals. The wood is resinous
and has reddish heartwood surrounded by pale brown sapwood. It is adjudged to
be inferior to that of Scots Pine, but can be used for similar purposes. Though
not naturally durable, it takes preservative well.
Silviculturists know the tree as a wind-farm, fast grower
and heavy volume producer in Europe. It is one of the most productive species
on the sandy soils in the north-west Europe. Only strains Corsica are
recommended today.
Austrian Pine, P. nigra Arnold, has a more coarse, rugged,
less straight appearance than Corsican Pine. Its timber is coarse, knotty and
usually valueless, but as the tree is hardy and wind-firm it is useful as a
shelter belt, especially along the coast. The Corsican Pine is also planted as a street tree, and as an ornamental tree in gardens and parks in USA, Canada, Europe, Australia and many more countries.
