Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris)
First place champion Scotch pine in Fort Collins at City Park.
Species info:
Leaves: Needles in bundles of two, 2–4 inches long; usually twisted; margins finely toothed; persistent for about 3 years; light green in color
Leaflets: N/A (needles occur in pairs)
Leaf Surface: Smooth and slightly glossy; flexible, with fine serrations
Bark: Upper trunk bark is orange, thin, and smooth—peeling in papery flakes with age; lower trunk bark becomes orangish-brown to gray, fissured into long vertical plates with maturity; highly ornamental year-round
Flowers: Male and female cones occur on the same tree (monoecious); male cones yellowish, female cones small and green before maturing
Fruit: ACones solitary or in clusters of 2–3; 1½–3 inches long; gray to brown; fall when mature
Botanical: Pinus sylvestris
Family: Pinaceae
Mature Height: 50–60 feet
Canopy Spread: 25–30 feet
Foliage Type: Evergreen
Tree Shape: Pyramidal when young, becoming open and irregular with age
Fall Color: Evergreen (no color change)
Water Use: Moderate; adaptable to varied moisture levels; tolerates somewhat basic to acidic soils
Hardiness: Zones 2–7
Soil Preference: Adaptable to a wide range of soils; grows up to 8,000 feet elevation in Colorado; dislikes poorly drained sites
Wildlife Value: Provides food and cover for birds and small mammals; seeds eaten by squirrels and birds
Pests/Pathogens: Susceptible to mountain pine beetle, Zimmerman pine moth, pine tortoise scale, pine needle scale, pine sawfly, and pine wilt nematode (confirmed in Colorado); beetles especially problematic under drought or stress conditions
Notable Traits: Distinctive orange bark and open branching habit make it highly ornamental; adaptable and hardy; widely planted as a windbreak, screen, or Christmas tree (accounts for ~30% of Christmas tree production); one of the most widely distributed pine species globally
Planting recommendation: Recommended for most sites, but consider presence of pine wilt nematode
Information Sources:
Michael Dirr, Manual of Woody Landscape Plants (University of Georgia, 1990 Silvics of North America, Volume 1
Conifers, USDA Forest Service, Agriculture Handbook 654
