Where are the pines. The main types and varieties of pine wood

A representative of the Pine family, which retains its viability for 100-600 years and reaches a height of 35-75 meters. She is not afraid of frost, snow, wind, drought. The tree loves sunlight and reacts sensitively to air pollution, and due to its healing properties it is used in the manufacture of medicines. There is a huge variety of varieties and types of pines. All existing types of pines are usually classified according to the main characteristic of the description - the number of beam needles:

  • a group of two-coniferous (scotch pine, seaside and similar);
  • three-coniferous (such as Bunge);
  • five-needle (Weymouth, Siberian, Japanese and others having a similar structure of a coniferous bunch).
The world knows more than 100 pine varieties.

ordinary

Scotch pine (lat. Pinus sylvestris) is a common species that grows in Asian and European latitudes. The highest of this species are found near the Baltic Sea ( southern part coast).

They reach 40-50 m in height. The straight trunk is covered with a bluish-brown bark of an enviable thickness, strewn with cuts. The upper layer of the trunk and branches is a thin bark with a characteristic red-orange color, prone to peeling.

Did you know? The pine tree has powerful antiseptic properties. Only 500 microbes per 1 cu. m of air in a forest, while in a huge city - 36 thousand m.

Pointed, whose length is 8 cm, the trees of this species have a blue-green color and are characterized by rigidity. It serves as a decoration for 2-7 years. The 7cm long ovoid buds are filled with black and gray seeds.

AT young age the tree is distinguished by a cone-shaped crown, which expands and rounds over time. The flowering period is May - June. This species has a fairly wide assortment (Globosa Viridis, Repanda, etc.) and is famous for its strength and a high degree resinous.

Mountain

Mountain pine (lat. Pinus mugo) mainly occupies the south and center of Europe. The tree has a pin-shaped or creeping multi-stemmed crown, single-growing cones, as well as curved needles with a dark green color.

The wood of the mountain dweller serves as a production raw material for carpentry and turning products, resin - for the manufacture of cosmetics and medications. This species is famous for its many varieties intended for decorating landscapes (Mugus, Carstens, Pug, Hesse, etc.).

Siberian

Siberian pine, or Siberian (lat. Pinus sibirica), lives in the taiga in East and West Siberia. The standard height of representatives of the species is 20-25 m, but there are also 40-meter trees.

They have thick branches and a multi-topped cone-shaped crown of soft dark green needles (14 cm long).

The trunk is gray-brown in color. The cones of the Siberian beauty are hidden (seeds) under their scales.

Black

Austrian black pine (lat. Pinus nigra) is a representative of shady evergreens from the North of the Mediterranean, whose height reaches 20-55 m. Young trees are distinguished by the presence of a cone-shaped crown, while adults have an umbrella-shaped one.

Dark green needles with a gray tint are characterized by rigidity and brilliance, and sometimes dullness. This species is famous for its black bark, covered with deep furrows.

The verbal description and photo does not convey all the beauty and majesty. Shiny buds and straight needles are a wonderful addition to any garden design. The most popular varieties of the species include Pierik Bregon, Piramidalis, Austriaca, Bambino.

Balkan (Rumelian)

Balkan pine (lat. Pinus peuce) - a resident of the mountainous areas of the Balkan Peninsula. fast growing species unpretentious to habitat conditions. Trees grow up to 20 meters high. Rumelian representatives create forests of pure or mixed types 700-2300 m above sea level.

The tree is characterized by a grayish-green enviable density, forming a cone-shaped crown. In the early age period, there are no cracks on the brown with a gray tint of the bark of the tree, but every year it acquires a lamellar shape and changes color to red-brown.

Himalayan

Himalayan pine, or Wallich (lat. Pinus wallichiana), lives on the slopes of Annapurna (South), in the Himalayas, at a level of 1.8-3.76 km above the sea. This tree grows 30-50 m up.

The tree is characterized by the presence of a pyramid-shaped crown of gray-green needles and long cones. Popular varieties of the Himalayan species: Densa Hill, Nana, Glauca, Vernisson, Zebrina.

Weymouth

Weymouth pine, or white eastern (lat. Pinus strobus), is common in the northeastern part North America and southeastern Canada. The tree is very close to ideal because of its straight trunk with a 67-meter growth threshold. Its diameter ranges from 1.3 to 1.8 m.

Important! Weymouth pine begins to bloom only at the age of 10 years.

The crown of representatives of this pine species in early age characterized by the presence of a conical shape and straight needles 10 cm long. Over time, it acquires an irregularly rounded shape. The bark has a purple tint.

This type finds its application in construction. Such varieties as Aurea, Blue Shag, Brevifolia, Сontorta, Densa are very popular.

virginskaya

Virginian pine (lat. Pinus virginiana) is a fast-growing inhabitant of the eastern latitudes of North America. Its height is from 10 to 18 m. The crown has an irregularly rounded shape. The bark with a scaly-striated relief has a gray-brown color, which acquires a reddish tint towards the top of the tree.

The tree is characterized by the presence of stiff straight yellowish-green needles and egg-shaped cones. Reddish-brown buds may be dry or completely resinous. Virginia pines prefer cozy and sunny places, a lot of warmth and fertile.

Important! The huge urban area is not suitable for growing pine plantations due to excessively polluted air.

Often this species is used to decorate garden and park areas. It goes well with other trees (, and others).

Korean cedar

Korean cedar pine (lat. Pinus koraiensis), called Korean cedar, has the main difference from other species - harmony. Its height does not cross the 40-meter line.

With its width, the lowered crown slightly resembles Siberian view, but at the same time differs in delicacy.

The bluish-green needles of the branches reach 20 cm in length. The tree is characterized by the presence of elongated cones with scales curved at the ends. This is one of the pine species that can survive in the city. Popular varieties include Variegata, Glauka, Vinton.

Cedar dwarf

Elfin pine, or elfin cedar (lat. Pinus pumila), is a common species in the territory from Primorsk to Kamchatka and in the North. Bushy trees grow up to only 4-5 m. The crown is quite spreading and may differ in shape for each individual variety: tree-like, creeping or bowl-shaped.

The needles of the cedar elfin have a bluish-green color. Pine cones, with their ovoid-elongated shape, do not belong to large fruits. Seeds are presented in the form of nuts. The varietal spectrum of Siberian dwarf pine is quite extensive: Blue Dwarf, Globe, Jeddeloh, Nana and others.

densely flowered

Dense-flowered pine, or red Japanese (lat. Pinus densiflora), is limited to a 30-meter height. The tree is more common in rocky terrain (such as the slopes of China, Japan, and Korea).

The curvature of the trunk is its characteristic feature. The bark of young branches of the tree has a reddish tint, while the old ones have an inconspicuous gray. The crown is dense. It is quite flattened and rounded.


Perhaps even those who know this majestic tree only from pictures from a school textbook on botany and reproductions of paintings by the great Russian artist I. I. have heard about how a pine grows and how it looks, about its beauty and benefits for nature and man. Shishkin. Those who have ever visited a park with soaring pines or in a pine forest will forever remember the incomparable coniferous smell and intoxicatingly clean air. And no wonder: scientists have long determined that for 1 cu. meter of air in a pine forest accounts for only 500 (!) microbes, while in 1 cubic meter. meter of air in a metropolis contains 36 thousand (!!!) microbes. Willy-nilly, you will remember how the pine air smells ... About the same, how useful pine is, at least the fact that even within a radius of 5 km. from the pine forest the air is curative and ionized. It is not surprising that Scots pine is grown with great pleasure both in hospitals and forestries, and in gardens, and with recently it even began to appear in some private rural houses in the steppe zone.

First acquaintance with pine

Scots pine (or Pinus sylvestris) is one of 120 species of the large genus Pine, a tree whose distribution range extends from Spain to Lapland and from the British Isles to Mongolia and China inclusive. There are at least three versions of the origin of its Latin specific name. According to the first, the word "pinus" comes from the Celtic "pin", meaning "rock", "mountain", and is roughly translated as "growing on the rocks"; the second version derives the word "pinus" from the Latin "pix" or "picis", which means "resinous tree". The third version connects this name with Greek mythology and tells us sad story the beautiful nymph Pitis, which the north wind Boreas, in love with her, turned out of jealousy into a tree that looks like a modern pine. Another version of the legend says that the nymph herself turned into a pine tree (or asked Zeus to carry out the transformation) in order to avoid the claims of Boreas. Probably even Clio, who sometimes has a very selective girlish memory, does not know how it really was, but each of the versions in its own way reflects the characteristics of a pine tree that can take root on any, even the most unfavorable soils. True, its trunk directly depends on the conditions in which the pine has to live. The picture familiar to us in the form of an erect, proudly looking up resinous tree is not the only option that can be found in nature.

The height of the pine, depending on age, ranges from 25 to 40 meters, but there are specimens reaching 42 meters in height. Unfortunately, such tall pines, which at one time received the name "ship" pines, grow only on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea and in some reserves. In many areas, the practice of cutting down young pine forests that have reached the age of 70-80 years is very common, at which they have a height of only 20-25 meters, although a tree can live up to 400-500 years and reach a height of 50, or even 70 meters. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the pine, for all its might, often suffers from various diseases, perhaps there are other reasons, but the fact remains: while pine trees of venerable age and impressive height can only be found in the depths of the taiga, in bioreserves or in those places where the foot of a forester or inspector from the nearest forestry has not yet set foot.

In its natural habitat, pine can be found in the most unexpected places:

  1. as an admixture in deciduous, spruce and fir forests.
  2. in open areas, where it often takes on a sprawling appearance.
  3. in the mountains, where it rises to the upper border of the forest to a height of 2.5 km. in the south and up to 1 km. in the north above sea level.
  4. in steppe and forest-steppe zones alien to it as a fixer of sands and ravine slopes, preventing their spread.
  5. as a vast homogeneous forest massif (boron).

Depending on the distribution area, scientists distinguish three varieties and about 30 ecotypes within the Scotch pine species, often named according to the area of ​​growth. For example, pine from the Angara river basin is classified as "Angara type of Scots pine". External differences between ecotypes are insignificant, but varieties can differ significantly from each other in growth, appearance and growth rate. For example, the variety lapponica, which grows in Scandinavia and northern regions of Russia, has shorter and stiffer needles, yellowish-brown seeds, and it often looks like a creeping shrub, although specimens 30 meters high can be found on the Solovetsky Islands (Russia). The mongolica variety, which is characteristic of Mongolia, southern Siberia and northwestern China, has a more familiar appearance for us. By the way, she also owns the kind of height record we mentioned in passing: in natural biosphere reserve Sokhondo (Chita region, Russia) grows a Mongolian pine tree 42 meters high. Finally, the Steven variety “climbed” above all: it can be found in the Balkans, in northern Turkey and the Caucasus at an altitude of 2600 meters above sea level.

In addition to them, there are several slow-growing dwarf varieties that attract the eye with an unusual appearance. One of them became known back in 1865 thanks to the famous English scientist-breeder Anthony Waterer, who discovered it in the vicinity of his estate Knap Hill (England), and was subsequently named after him. The nursery founded by him in this area also bears the name of the scientist.

Pine Description

Scotch pine is so unpretentious that it can be found in soil of any severity and suitability: sandy and sandy loam, rocky mountain and chalk, even in a peat bog and in permafrost conditions. True, it will look different everywhere, and a picturesquely gnarled tree growing “lonely in the wild north” or on a mountain slope is unlikely to recognize its “sister” in a one-meter dwarf huddled in a swamp. And even more so, the majestic taiga pine from the Angara river basin or the Baltic ship pine will look down on both of them. However, all these will be trees of the same species ... The pine owes such unpretentiousness, first of all, to its root system, which can adapt to any living conditions. If the soil is loose and has good drainage, and the groundwater is not very deep from the surface, the root looks like a powerful rod. Dry sands with deep waters contribute to the development of lateral roots - this is how the pine "expands", becoming sprawling. These same lateral roots allow it to survive in the mountains by anchoring the tree in rocky soil and "collecting" the falling precipitation. But the pine growing in the swamp, due to the peculiarity of the soil, has a poorly developed root system, which is why it looks like a weak dwarf even at a respectable centenary age.

Among other trees, the pine stands out not only for its unpretentiousness and the trunk, which is formed depending on the circumstances, but also for its highly raised crown, cone-shaped in youth, and then round and wide, in the form of an umbrella. Sometimes there are specimens with weeping and pyramidal types of crowns. The average length of the needles is about 5-6 cm, although it can vary depending on habitat conditions, intraspecific forms and age (in young pines, the needles are longer and can reach up to 9 cm, in old ones they are shorter). Three features remain unchanged: trihedral, acicular, and the presence of stomata on the underside, through which the tree exchanges gases with the atmosphere. The needles are arranged in bunches, each bunch has two needles. Usually they stay on the tree for two or three years, then fall off, giving way to new needles, and lie in pairs in the forest floor. The color of the needles is predominantly bluish-green.

Another notable feature of pine is cones, which are divided into two types: male and female. They are formed on separate trees, since the pine is a monoecious plant. Usually the “sex” of a pine tree is inherited, but there are cases when, under the influence of growing conditions and environment he can change. That is, a pine tree that once had male cones may well change them to female cones over time.

Male cones oblong, have a length of 8 to 12 cm and are yellow or pink, female - from 3 to 7.5 cm long, cone-shaped, grow singly or in two or three pieces, their color when ripe varies from gray-light brown to grey-green. Both types of cones are covered with near-rhomboid flat or slightly convex scales with a pointed apex, occasionally having a hooked appearance. They ripen slowly, 18-20 months after the May-June flowering and pollination - that is, in November-December - and the seeds fly out of the cone after another two to three months, in the spring. During this time, not only the formation of seeds occurs, but also the growth of the cones themselves, which can be seen by changing their color from green to light brown. Each seed is 4-5 mm in size. has a webbed wing, thanks to which it can fly a considerable distance for it. True, the survival rate of seeds is not one hundred percent, otherwise the pines would probably have reached the Cape of Good Hope and the islands of the Indonesian archipelago long ago. In a typical pine forest of one hectare, about 120 million seeds fall annually, but less than one tenth of them germinate - only about 10 million seedlings. In a century-old pine forest, on average, about 500-600 trees grow. There are many reasons for this: competition between plants, spring grasses, lack of sunlight ... Some seedlings can simply be trampled down, and most seeds die without even getting into the soil (grasses and forest mosses often prevent this). That is, as you can see, Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection is familiar even to this seemingly mighty plant.

Pine in the yard

From the foregoing, it is easy to understand that the pine tree will fit perfectly into a country homestead or rustic-rural landscape, both as part of a group planting and as a tapeworm. The benefits of such a "garden dweller" can hardly be overestimated: in addition to the fact that it will purify the air and make it incredibly intoxicating and healing, the pine is also just a beautiful tree that grows relatively quickly, especially at the age of 10 to 40 years, retains its decorative effect a whole year and under favorable conditions it is able to please the eye even of your distant descendants. If you live near a pine forest, then there is a high probability that one day a young pine seedling will spontaneously appear behind your fence in the form of a weed. Such an appearance can truly be considered a gift of fate, and it should be treated appropriately, and not like a weed. You can try to plant a pine tree yourself, even if you are a resident of the steppe zone: the probability of success for this event is very high. However, before planting a pine, you should consider some of the nuances:

  1. the thickness of its trunk can reach from 1 to 1.2 meters, and the older the pine tree becomes, the taller and more voluminous it will be. Therefore, there should be enough space in your garden for the pine tree to feel cozy.
  2. for all its unpretentiousness, it is light-loving and does not tolerate shading. This can be seen even in natural conditions: if you have been in a pine forest, you probably noticed that the pine trees growing there are the same in height. This is the result of the features we mentioned. That is, a place for it must be chosen open and sunny. An exception is made for young animals: in the first years of life, it is recommended to shade it from the bright spring sun. In the same forest, young plants are given the necessary shade by their older comrades.
  3. if you want to plant several pines, then the distance between them should be at least four meters, and between undersized ones - at least one and a half.

How to plant a pine

Planting and caring for pine trees are not particularly difficult. Somewhat more complex and nuanced, as with other trees or plants, is the preparation for planting. It is believed that it is best to plant a pine tree in the middle of spring, when the soil warms up enough, or in early autumn. The first option is good because it allows her to take root in a new place over the summer, get comfortable and prepare for winter, which always comes suddenly; in the second case, the tree slows down all life processes and thus is able to relatively calmly endure such dramatic changes in its life. You can also find references to later plantings of pine, but in this case, the seedling should be insulated and protected from excessive activity of the spring sun, covered with spruce branches, spunbond or any other covering material. You can remove the protection in the spring.

There are three ways to get planting material:

  1. grown from seeds (a separate section will be devoted to this).
  2. purchased from a nursery.
  3. dug up in the wild.

The most reliable way is to purchase in a nursery: you will not only be sold a seedling of the required age and with intact roots, but they will also give you a whole lecture on how to plant a pine tree on the site. True, this method has a couple of disadvantages. Firstly, there are cases when a pine already infected with some insidious disease or pests enters the nursery. But, as they say, “to be afraid of diseases - do not buy pines”, especially since this risk is insignificant, and we mention it only just in case. In addition, when buying, there is always the opportunity to inspect the seedling offered to you and check it for brittleness. If the needles are yellow, and the tips of the branches break easily, it is very likely that the seedling is sick and will die soon.

Secondly (and, probably, “in the most offensive ones”), in your region there simply may not be the right nursery. In this case, you can try to purchase a pine tree via the Internet with home delivery, or go to the nursery yourself, even if it is far away. True, it can be expensive, but if you have such an opportunity, then why not try?

Finally, the freest option is to dig the pine tree yourself. Not all experts advise resorting to this method, explaining their attitude by the fact that digging a seedling should be done very carefully so as not to damage the root system. In addition, in their opinion, pine trees transplanted in this way rarely take root and often die the next year. Opinions on this matter can be found very different, but if you still decide to try to get a pine tree yourself, a few tips on this subject will certainly be useful.

It is best to choose a tree that will die if not replanted. This does not mean that it should be infected with something: a pine tree can die as a result of “natural selection”, which we wrote about above, and growing up in an unfavorable place for it (yes, there are such - for example, steep hillsides, on which the pine in the process of growth may simply not be able to hold on). Pine trees are doomed to death in places of active human activity. Replanting such trees can give them a chance to save themselves, and you can contribute to the preservation of the atmosphere of the whole planet.

Having obtained a pine, you should look for a place for it, prepare a hole, and only then carry out a landing. The planting hole in size should correspond to the size and shape of the coma of the earth with which the tree will be transplanted. The logic is simple: the larger the lump, the less damage the seedling will receive. For example, for pines up to 70 cm high, you need a pit with dimensions of at least 60x60, and more than 70 cm - at least 80x80. The depth also depends on the height of the plant, but some experts recommend digging a hole 10 cm higher than the height of the seedling. As for the size of the coma, it is even easier here. It is believed that all conifers live in symbiosis with soil fungi and form mycorrhiza - a kind of fungal root. Therefore, the more native land will move with the pine to a new location, the better.

It is necessary to dig out a pine tree carefully, remembering that it mainly has a tap root, and trying not to cut or damage it. When digging, you can use a large wet piece of cloth. Prying and lifting an earthen ball with a pine, you should slip the fabric under the shovel, straighten it, lower the lump from the shovel onto it and wrap the fabric tightly around the lump. You can also use a thin cotton sheet, with which you can plant a seedling in a planting hole. The sheet will quickly rot and will not interfere with the development of the root system. Sometimes it is advised to pay attention to the so-called. "south branch" - that is, remember or mark the branch that faces south. When planting a seedling in the yard, it is desirable that it also be oriented to the south. Although many gardeners admitted that they lost these marks and planted pines without taking them into account, the result was the same.

In no case should you plant a pine tree in garden soil. No matter how unpretentious it is, pine does not like soil rich in organic matter. The best soils for her - light breathable sandy or sandy loam. If you can offer loam or clay soil to the pine, be sure to make good drainage by adding a layer of sand or expanded clay with fine gravel and broken brick 20 cm thick to the planting pit. Sometimes 50 gr are added there. nitrophoska. Depending on the area where you are planting pine, you can add a mixture of soddy soil, topsoil and river sand or clay to the hole in a ratio of 2:2:1. Also, you can not transplant a pine tree with bare roots, otherwise the root system will die in ten to fifteen minutes.

When planting, you should carefully water the hole (usually half a bucket of water is enough), then lower the seedling there and, if necessary, adjust its size by adding or sampling the earth. Sometimes pit voids are filled with a sand-earth mixture. After that, the poured earth is moderately trampled to avoid the formation of air cavities around the roots, however, the soil should not be excessively dense. A tree should be planted so that the root neck is at ground level, and in a large specimen it is even slightly raised, otherwise it will rot and the pine tree will die. A seedling planted in this way should be mulched and then watered again, this time using a watering can with a nozzle so as not to erode the soil.

Sometimes you can meet the question: is it necessary to apply fertilizer when planting a pine tree? It all depends on what kind of soil it is planted in. It is known from practice that sometimes pure sand taken from a pine forest and mixed with fertile soil is used as a fertilizer. You can purchase a special fertilizer for coniferous plants or use mature compost. If the soil in which you plant a pine has not been previously used, then it will have enough of its own. minerals so you don't need to apply fertilizer.

After you have done all these steps, all that remains is to be patient and wait, about once a week, watering the pine tree early in the morning or after sunset until it begins to grow branches. After that, watering can be reduced.

Caring for a young pine tree is no different from caring for any other transplanted tree. From time to time, you should mulch it, remove diseased and dried branches, weed out large grass around the seedling, water it during excessively dry periods or in the fall, after leaf fall. The need for watering is easy to determine by taking a handful of earth from the trunk circle and squeezing it in a fist. If it is loose and crumbles at the slightest squeeze, then it's time to water.

If you planted a pine tree in the fall, it should be insulated for the winter using one of the above methods, and in the spring it should be protected from the sun by spraying twice with epin with an interval of two to three weeks.

Unusual transfer method

Despite the fact that experts recommend planting pines in spring, one can come across the assertion that conifers cannot be replanted in spring, since they begin to grow very quickly, and the soil in a number of regions of Russia is still frozen or not warm enough by this time. For this case, another way is proposed - folk:

  1. choose a suitable tree for transplanting.
  2. to a depth of one bayonet of a shovel, cut the soil around the trunk in the form of a circle with a diameter ten times greater than the diameter of the tree trunk.
  3. mark the pine in any safe and not very noticeable way and leave it until the fall.

The benefits of this tree are already legendary. Pine usually grows in the forest and is neutral to climate change. In winter and summer, its needles are green, and the cones carry delicious nuts for birds and squirrels. Later in this post, we will see what the pine tree and its closest relatives look like in the photo.

Pine- a genus of coniferous trees from the Pine family. In nature, there are about 115 species of trees and shrubs. Grow in temperate climate northern hemisphere, although there are species that grow well in warm areas, such as in the mountains.

Pine is evergreen with long and thin needles. These trees are quite resistant to any environmental conditions and temperatures. Pines reproduce sexually, producing separately male and female inflorescences.

This tree species is considered one of the highest plant species on Earth and most of them are endangered. Some species are already legally protected, while in Poland three pine species are under strict protection.

Some species and varieties of pines are very popular as ornamental plants. Pine trees are a food source for many insects, although some are pests. When weakened, pines can be susceptible to pathogens that can cause a range of diseases. Some diseases are specific to pine, but there are also diseases that can spread to other plants.

Pines are important source wood, resin, essential oils and edible seeds. For many centuries they have been an important source for people in their Everyday life, which later became part of the folklore of the arts and culture of many societies. Pine trees have even been used as religious and political symbols.

This is what the pine forest looks like:

Pine characteristic

As mentioned earlier, pine is an evergreen tree, rarely a shrub. Pine bark thick and scaly, but there are species with thin bark, but there are fewer of them. Roots young pines tend to be conical in shape, and with age they acquire roundness in the shape of an umbrella. branches grow in the usual direction, although sometimes they look like tight spirals. The young shoots of the pine are bright and grow straight up, darkening over time. Also, according to the state of the shoots, foresters and hunters can determine the state of fertility and vitality of the tree. For more on this, read on. about leaves.

Pine leaves (needles)

In different periods of growth, four types of leaves develop.

  1. On seedlings of cotyledons 3-24
  2. Young shoots that can be used for seedlings are 2-6 cm long, solitary, often green or blue-green in color, and spirally arranged on the shoot. They can grow from 6 months to five years.
  3. The third type is long shoots after the first 6 months. Small brown with scales, do not participate in photosynthesis.
  4. Needles and mature leaves are green. The needles remain on the branches during winter and autumn for 3-15 years.

The amount of pine cotyledons can be variable, even within the same species. Scots pine seedlings average 5, but this figure can be changeable from 3 to 9. Bundles of needles at the base, covered with a sheath of scaly leaves. The tips of the needles are pointed, often with jagged edges.

pine cones

When the gymnosperms decline, they form inflorescence-like clusters. cones often used to determine male and female inflorescences. Male cones are often cylindrically elongated and small, usually 1-5 cm long. They appear in most species in spring and in a few in autumn. The female cones are spherical or ovoid.

Pinus silvestris L.

Family - Pine - Pinaceae

Parts used - buds, needles.

The popular name is forest pine, borina.

Pharmacy name - purified turpentine (oleum terebinthinae rectificatum), pine essential oil(oleum pini), pine buds (tiriones pini).

Botanical description

Scotch pine - evergreen conifer tree up to 45 m high and trunk circumference up to 1.2 m, with a straight trunk, covered with reddish-brown, exfoliating bark with grooves. young tree has a cone-shaped, highly raised crown, with age the crown becomes rounded, and in old age it becomes flat or umbrella-shaped

The bark in the lower part of the trunk is scaly, gray-brown, with deep cracks, much larger than that located at the top. On the trunk, bark scales form plates of irregular shape. The bark in the upper part of the trunk and on older branches is thin, peeling (in the form of flakes), yellow-red. In pines that grow in closed forest stands, the trunk is more slender with an openwork crown.

The shoots are green at first, then turn gray-light brown by the end of the first summer. Pine needles have a gray or bluish-green color, arranged in a bundle of 2 needles, up to 9 cm long and up to 2 mm thick, pointed at the top, slightly flattened, flat-convex in cross section, finely serrated along the edge. In young trees, the needles are longer, in old ones they are shorter, each needle stays on the tree for 2-3 years.

Pollination is carried out by wind, pine dusts in May - June.

The buds are ovoid-cone-shaped, orange-brown, covered with a thin layer of white resin, sometimes with a thick layer.

Female spikelets with fertilized ovules begin to grow rapidly and turn into cones, up to 7.5 cm long, cone-shaped, symmetrical or almost symmetrical, matte from gray-light brown to gray-green when ripe. It blooms in May-June, ripens in November-December, 20 months after pollination, opens from February to April and soon falls off.

Male cones up to 12mm, yellow or pink. Cones are located singly or in 2-3 pieces on the legs lowered down. The scales of the cones are almost rhombic, flat or slightly convex with a small navel, rarely hooked, with a pointed apex. Pine cones ripen in the second year. The seeds of Scotch pine are black, up to 5 mm long, with a 12-20 mm membranous wing.

Homeland - Siberia, the Urals, Europe, grows almost throughout Russia, with the exception of Central Asia and the southern steppes. The age limit for Scotch pine is 300-350 years, but trees are known that are over 580 years old.

Collection and preparation

Pine buds are harvested in winter and spring, during the swelling period. The buds are cut along with the base of the shoot 2-3 mm long. Dry in the air on a canopy, or in ventilated areas. The finished raw material is fragrant, has a bitter taste. The shelf life of raw materials is 2 years.

Active ingredients

Essential oil, tannins, pinipicrin, ascorbic acid, bitterness, flavonoids, coumarin, salts of manganese, iron, copper, boron, zinc, molybdenum, as well as a noticeable amount of carotene (provitamin A), vitamins K and E.

Healing action and application

Scotch pine has expectorant, diuretic, diaphoretic and disinfectant properties. AT traditional medicine Scotch pine is used for bronchitis, pneumonia, rheumatism and arthritis, cholecystitis, cholangitis, and pyelonephritis.

Turpentine, obtained from pine wood, has an irritating and antiseptic effect and is widely used externally for sciatica, myoside, joint diseases, bronchiectasis, bronchitis and pulmonary tuberculosis. Turpentine is added to baths and used for inhalation. In the form of inhalations, turpentine is used for bronchitis.

Pine pollen is useful for rheumatism and gout, as well as after serious illnesses and operations. The dusty male spikelets of pine are dried in the sun, and then the pollen is shaken out of them, which is brewed as a tea or taken with honey.

By dry distillation, tar is obtained from pine wood, which is widely used in the form of 10-30% ointments for the treatment of eczema, psoriasis, scabies and other skin diseases. Pine tar is a part of sulfur-tar soap, Vishnevsky's ointment, etc.

A decoction of pine buds is used as a disinfectant and expectorant for lung diseases accompanied by difficult to expectorate sputum, lung abscesses, dropsy, rheumatism, chronic inflammation of the bronchi, asthma, and an infusion of them for tuberculosis.

Infusion of needles has long been used to treat and prevent scurvy. In the form of inhalation, the infusion is effective for bronchitis and runny nose.

Pine buds are part of the breast fees. As a diuretic and disinfectant, a decoction of pine buds is used for urolithiasis. In addition, the decoction is used for inhalation and rinsing with tonsillitis, chronic tonsillitis and acute respiratory diseases.

Pine essential oil is obtained from the needles, which is widely used in aromatherapy. It is used for cuts and ulcers, as well as for the treatment of arthritis, asthenia, gout, muscle pain, rheumatism, asthma and bronchitis, cystitis, urinary tract infections. It relieves fatigue, has a positive effect on nervous exhaustion and neuralgia.

Extract and infusion of needles are used to prepare coniferous baths, which are prescribed for nervous exhaustion, circulatory disorders, slowly healing wounds, skin diseases, as well as for paralysis, gout, arthritis, articular rheumatism, asthma, respiratory diseases.

Recipes

- Boil 10 g of pine buds in 1 glass of water under the lid and let it brew for 2 hours. Strain and take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day. (As an expectorant).

- Boil 15 g of pine buds in 0.5 liters of milk, boil over low heat for 15 minutes. Strain and drink throughout the day. (As an expectorant, diuretic).

- Sort out the dry resin-resin, put it in a glass jar or a bubble with a wide neck. Pour in 90% alcohol (alcohol should cover the resin by 1 cm), after a few days the resin will dissolve. Pour liquid resin-resin on an ulcer or wound, bandage it. Change several times within 2-3 days. (Ulcers, stomach cancer, externally - with furunculosis).

- Pour 0.5–1 kg of needles into 3 liters of water, boil over low heat for 10 minutes and let it brew for 6 hours. Strain and pour into a bath at a temperature of 34 ° C. (Neurosis).

- Pour 50g of pine buds with 2 cups of boiling water and put in a warm place for 2 hours. Strain, add 0.5 kg of sugar and boil the syrup. Give children 2 tablespoons to drink 3 times a day. ( ).

- 50 g of pine buds pour 0.5 liters of milk and boil over low heat for 20 minutes, strain and give to drink in sips - for adults during the day, for children - for 2 days. (Cough).

- Pour one part of pine buds with 10 parts of water and boil for 20 minutes. Strain and use for inhalation with tonsillitis and catarrh of the upper respiratory tract.

Rub purified turpentine oil mixed with vaseline (1:2) into the skin. (Neuralgia, sciatica, joint pain).

- Mix 1 kg of fresh chopped pine needles with 1 kg of sugar, pour 2 liters of cold boiled water, mix well and put in a warm place for 10 days, shaking occasionally. Strain and take 200 ml 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals. (Chronic hepatitis).

- Mix 5 tablespoons of fresh pine needles with 2 tablespoons of rose hips and 2 tablespoons of onion peel, pour 1 liter of water over everything. Bring to a boil, boil over low heat for 10 minutes and let it brew overnight in warmth. Strain and take instead of water from 0.5 to 1 liter per day in a warm form. Prepare daily fresh broth. (Cardiovascular diseases, multiple sclerosis, cerebral vascular dystonia).

- Thoroughly mix 100g of pine rosin, 20g of beeswax and 20g of sunflower oil. Put in a water bath and stir until dissolved. Apply the composition on a linen flap and apply to the sore spot for 2-3 days (for women, apply to the lower abdomen, shaving off the hair). This composition is enough for 4 patches. (Fibromyoma, on the uterus and ovary).

- 5 tablespoons of chopped fresh pine needles pour 0.5 liters of boiling water, boil over low heat in a sealed container for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and let it brew in a warm place for 10-12 hours. Strain and drink the whole infusion warm during the day, slightly sweetening the broth. (Oncological diseases of the genital area, multiple sclerosis, with diseases of the kidneys and the cardiovascular system).

- Pour fresh red cones in a loose layer into a jar for 2/3 of its volume, then top up with vodka and put in a dark place for 2 weeks. Strain and take from 1 hour to 1 tablespoon 3 times a day. (Heartache).

- Pour 10 g of pine buds with a glass of hot boiled water, close the lid and keep in a boiling water bath for 30 minutes. Cool, strain and add boiled water to the resulting broth to the original volume. Take during the day in small portions. (Dropsy, rheumatism, chronic inflammation of the bronchi, asthma).

- Grind and mix in equal proportions the buds and needles of young pine branches. Pour 5g of the mixture with 1 cup of hot boiled water and boil over low heat for 20 minutes. Strain and take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day. (Bronchitis).

- Steamed fresh pine sawdust, wrapped in gauze, apply for pain in the lower back and joints, sciatica, sciatica.

- 5 tablespoons of pollen pour 0.5 liters of vodka, put in a dark place for 2 weeks. Strain and take 25 ml before meals 3 times a day. (Tuberculosis).

- Mix turpentine with petroleum jelly (1:2), or lard (1:4) and apply for rubbing with - neuralgia, myositis, rheumatism, arthritis.

- With putrefactive bronchitis, inflammatory diseases of the lungs and respiratory tract, it is recommended to her as an antimicrobial and deodorant inhalation with turpentine - 15 drops per 1 glass of hot water.

Contraindications

Individual intolerance. Pregnancy.

The evergreen Pine is a symbol of immortality and life force. Even in winter, when nature sleeps, this beautiful green tree reminds us that spring is coming soon.

In the old days Pine branch considered magical. Western Slavs kept the branch for a whole year and only in new year holidays were replaced with a new one. She guarded the peace and well-being of the hut and was a kind of amulet against evil forces. And now in the villages you can find the "spruce" of Pine, standing in a vase as a decoration.

Pine name

Origin Pine names. One of the two versions produces the Latin name of the tree from the Celtic word pin, which means rock, mountain, that is, growing on rocks, the other - from the Latin words pix, picis, which means resin, that is, a resinous tree.

Widespread in Russia Scotch pine". Most often it is found in the northern part of the country and in Siberia. Pine trees form both forests mixed with other species, and pure forests, popularly referred to as " Pinery". The soil for the Pine is diverse - from arid and rocky places to swampy areas.

Pine He loves sunlight very much, so in the forest among his fellows, the trunk stretches up, from which it takes the form of a mast. No wonder they were previously used in shipbuilding.

On the Pine plain looks completely different. Having spread the branches, it takes on bizarre shapes and curvatures, dense crowns and zigzags. The trunk becomes stocky and powerful, like a hero.

Pine Needles have a green color with a bluish tinge.

Pine Bark- reddish-brown and cast copper.

Pine Wood- a yellowish tint due to the high content of resin in it. It is not for nothing that during the construction of the log house, the lower crown always consisted of pine logs in order to avoid rapid decay. That is why some buildings from the times of ancient Novgorod have been preserved.

When the Pine Blooms

Pine blossoms May or June depending on the weather. ripe tree considered to be between 80 and 100 years of age.

April in quiet sunny days, standing next to this fabulous idol, you can hear a barely perceptible pine seed clicking. This dried up and the cones began to open, releasing the ripened winged seeds. These seeds will give life to new trees.

By the way, pine cones are an excellent fuel for Russian samovars and favorite treat protein and birds.

Medicinal properties of Pine

Pine is used as an expectorant, diaphoretic and diuretic. Pine has an analgesic property and kills disease-causing microbes in the body.

Sap- a thick light yellow liquid flows out of the damaged branches and trunks of the Pine. Possessing antibacterial properties, it prevents the penetration of harmful microorganisms into the trunk.

If there was no first-aid kit in the forest due to injuries and scratches, instead of a plaster, you can apply clean Zhivitsa to the wound. It is also able to relieve toothache, so medicinal chewing gum is made from resin in some regions.

Has an antibacterial effect burning tar smoke. Rooms, cellars and barrels for salting are “fumigated” with smoke.

For pain in the joints and muscles, another component of the resin is used for grinding - turpentine.

Pine- that rare tree that goes into business completely from head to root.

Pine Bark cut well. It can be used in the manufacture of floats and crafts.

In folk medicine Pine is used most often in the form of decoctions, tinctures and tea. Infusion and decoction of the kidneys of the plant are used for inflammation, cough, bronchitis, dropsy and liver diseases.

From pine needles prepare an infusion and decoction, used as a prevention of beriberi.

From pine pollen you can make a tea that helps with gout and rheumatism. Pollen mixed with honey is used after a major operation or illness.

In the Caucasus, young cones and flowers of Pine make delicious jam.

Amber- lain in the ground for millions of years pine resin. Thanks to the resin, scientists had a chance to study prehistoric insects frozen in Amber.

By the shape of the crown and branches of Pine, geologists can determine the composition of the soil.

During the war, in the villages, they removed the thin bark from the Pine trees and scraped off the "pulp" - the living layer of the tree. It was dried and mixed with flour.

Thin and long pine roots were used to make dense “root” dishes in which starch, sand or salt were stored.

Another use of the roots is as fuel in lamps. In the old days, when fishing on a sharp night, only Pine roots went into the lamp to avoid unnecessary crackling of firewood, which could scare away the fish.

In 1669, near Moscow, in the village of Kolomenskoye, the first wooden royal palace. Pine logs served as the material, while the carpenters did not use a single nail. In the palace there was a whole a thousand windows and 270 rooms. Unfortunately, to this day the structure has survived only in memories and drawings.

Photo credits: Diverso17 , GraAl , ALICE :) , VasiLina (Yandex.Fotki)