Tree Description:
Medium-sized, pyramidal pine tree to 40 feet tall that has been widely planted for windbreaks and as an ornamental throughout Central and West Texas.
Range/Site Description:
Native to Afghanistan and central Asia. Performs well in Texas on hot, dry sites with alkaline soils, although trees are susceptible to Diplodia fungal attack when excess water is present.
Leaf:
Slender needles in bundles of two, 3" to 5" long, medium green, slightly wavy instead of straight, giving the tree a softer feel than most other pines.
Flower:
Small, yellow-orange, cone-like structures appear along branchlets in spring and produce the male pollen. Female conelets are usually held on separate branchlets on the same tree and are inconspicuous.
Fruit:
A brown, woody cone, 1" to 3" long, scales opening when ripe to expose two seed at the base of each scale. Scales with weak prickle at each tip.
Bark:
Gray to dark brown, scaly, rough, and peeling when young, developing into dark, rough, furrowed bark on older trees
Wood:
Widely grown for Christmas trees, although pine tip moth can be a pest problem in some areas.
Similar Species:
Aleppo pine (Pinus halapensis) also planted as an ornamental in West Texas, but has a decurrent growth form and yellow-green foliage.
Interesting Facts:
