Pinus nigra maritima – Corsican Pine

General Information Common Name  Corsican Pine Scientific Name  Pinus nigra maritima Sun Tolerance  Full Sun Height  40-55  m (130-180 ft) Spread  6 - 12 m (20 - 40 ft) Growth Rate  Fast Bloom Time  Spring Color  Green, Flower Color  Gold Type  Tree Native  USA, Asia, Europe.

Classification Kingdom  Plantae – Plants Subkingdom  Tracheobionta – Vascular plants Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants Division  Coniferophyta – Conifers Class  Pinopsida Subclass  Order  Pinales Family  Pinaceae – Pine family Genus  Pinus –  Pine Species  P. nigra

Pinus nigra maritima – Corsican Pine

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. 

Pinus nigra maritima – Corsican Pine

Young plant of Corsican Pine

Pinus nigra maritima – Corsican Pine Leaves

Male Flower of Corsican Pine

Pinus nigra maritima Male Flowers

Pinus nigra maritima – Corsican Pine Male Flowers

Female Cone of Corsican Pine

Bark of Corsican Pine

Corsican Pine Log

Corsican Pine as Ornamental

Pinus nigra maritima  as Ornamental

Pinus nigra maritima – Corsican Pine

Pinus nigra maritima – Corsican Pine

Pinus nigra maritima – Corsican Pine

Pinus nigra maritima – Corsican Pine

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