Pine Tree Facts

It has been observed in Norwegian Pines that an 'Arboreal Nepotism' exists in which billions of hyphae as fine as gossamer, created by fungi around their roots, allow 'mother' trees to nourish saplings. They can recognise their own species (or close relations) through the tips of their roots, and tend to feed more to these trees!

Scots (Baltic) Pine formed the first northern Boreal forest cover. Today, it is one of the most important timber species, used for Scandinavian furniture, window frames, door and interiors.

European Black Pine forms huge quantities of pollen and this enables it to blow powder into the female flowers. During this period, it is a big danger for hay fever sufferers.

Roman troops were fed on pine nuts whilst on the march in England. The nut seed coats have been found on former military campsites in refuse remains.

In a garden in Malvern, Worcestershire, a Wollemi pine has flowered and produced cones in captivity for the first time. The species dates back to over 90 m.y.a. and was thought extinct until a tiny wild population was discovered in Australia in 1994. Pamela and Alistair Thompson planted the sapling in 2010; now, they plan to harvest seeds to grow new trees, helping to protect the critically endangered species.

Pine is the national tree of the DPRK. For centuries, the Korean people planted and cultivated pine, and depicted it in art work and ornaments, as a symbol of long life and perseverance. Today, it continues to represent the national spirit. There is a proverb: “In winter we can know that pine is green, meaning a hero is only known in the time of misfortune”.