(Pinaceae)
Family Description
Most members of the Pine Family are evergreen trees, such as Scots Pine. There are also some evergreen shrubs such as Mountain Pine. Fir trees are also found in this group, including Douglas Fir (a tree from West North America, planted in Britain).
The leaves are needle-like and waxy, which helps them to retain moisture.
Many members of the Pine family produce a lot of resin.
Scots Pine
Pinus sylvestris
Scots Pine is the native pine of the Highland forests in Scotland. However, around 9,000 years ago, the climate was dry, and there were more Scots Pines in Wales and England than any other tree. Later, the climate became wetter and warmer, and trees such as Oak, Elm and Alder took over.
Forests, woodland, heaths, moors, hedgerows.
Also has been planted throughout Britain in parks and gardens.
Scots Pine can grow up to 40 meters, and has a dome-shaped crown when mature.
It has grey-green needle leaves which grow in pairs.
It's cones are egg-shaped.
The male and female flowers are borne in separate cones on the same tree.
When mature, the male cones produce huge quantities of pollen, which is dispersed in the wind. Some of the pollen lands on the female cones of other trees, to allow fertilisation.
The mature female cones are woody, and take 2-3 years to ripen. When ready, the cones open up, releasing the winged seeds. The seeds are dispersed to new ground by the wind.
Seasonal
Male cones grow in bunches towards the shoot tips in late Spring and Summer.
Geographical
Central and West Scottish Highlands, and on heaths in South East England.
