Pinus radiata – Monterey Pine

General Information Common Name  Monterey Pine, Radiata Pine Scientific Name  Pinus radiata Sun Tolerance  Full Sun Height  15-30  m (50-100 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. radiata

Pinus radiata – Monterey Pine

Pinus radiate commonly known as Monterey Pine also known as Radita Pine or Insignis Pine. It’s a three-needled conifer with striking bright-green luxuriant foliage. It is a native of a very limited area of wet winters and hot dry summers, the Monterey Peninsula of southern California.

P. radiate is a coniferous evergreen tree growing to 15 – 30 m (50 – 100 ft) in height, but some time grows up to 60 m (200 ft).

The young shoots soon become green. The winter buds are light brown, up to 2 cm long, sharply pointed and resinous. The bright emerald green needles are slender, 10-15 cm long, somewhat curved, usually in threes, but occasionally in pairs. They are bound together at their base by a sheath consisting of membranous scales.

The flowers of both sexes are found on the same tree. The male catkins are small, and yellow in late March. The female flowers may be solitary or in small clusters. The cones are asymmetrical, being flattened 7-13 cm long, glossy, woody and greyish-brown. They are often in clusters of three to five and persist on the trees for an indefinite time, usually not opening for several years.

The bark of mature trees is dark brown, thick, and deeply fissured, peeling off in broad scales. The coarse timber is inferior, is used in house construction as weatherboards, posts, beams or plywood, in fencing, retaining walls, for concrete formers. It is also used to a limited extent in boat building where untreated ply is sometimes used, but must be encased in epoxy resin to exclude moisture, boxes and paper pulp.

This pine has no commercial future anywhere in Britain but in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Spain it is cultivated on an extensive scale, making phenomenally fast growth. 

Pinus radiata – Monterey Pine as Ornamental Plant

Pinus radiata – Monterey Pine

Young Plants of Monterey Pine

Pinus radiata Young Plant

Leaves of Monterey Pine

Male Catkins of Monterey Pine

Female Cone of Monterey Pine

Pinus radiata Male Catkins and Female Cones

Pinus radiata Female Cone

Female Cones of Monterey Pine

The Bark of Monterey Pine

Pinus radiata – Monterey Pine

Pinus radiata – Monterey Pine Forest

Pinus radiata – Monterey Pine

Pinus radiata – Monterey Pine

Pinus radiata – Monterey Pine

Video of Monterey Pine: