Trees Planet: Pinus nigra maritima

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.