Pinus rigida
| Pinus rigida | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 4 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-7.3 |
| Evergreen Cross Pollinated | |
| Height: | 49' |
| Width: | 23' |
| Speed: | Moderate |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Pinus rigida (common name: northern pitch pine)
Propagation: It is best to sow the seed in individual pots in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe if this is possible otherwise in late winter. A short stratification of 6 weeks at 4°c can improve the germination of stored seed[1]. Plant seedlings out into their permanent positions as soon as possible and protect them for their first winter or two[2]. Plants have a very sparse root system and the sooner they are planted into their permanent positions the better they will grow[K]. Trees should be planted into their permanent positions when they are quite small, between 30 and 90cm[3]. We actually plant them out when they are about 5 - 10cm tall. So long as they are given a very good weed-excluding mulch they establish very well[K]. Larger trees will check badly and hardly put on any growth for several years. This also badly affects root development and wind resistance[3].
Cuttings. This method only works when taken from very young trees less than 10 years old. Use single leaf fascicles with the base of the short shoot. Disbudding the shoots some weeks before taking the cuttings can help. Cuttings are normally slow to grow away[4].
Cultivation: Thrives in a light well-drained sandy or gravelly loam[5][2]. Dislikes poorly drained moorland soils[5]. Plants can grow on almost sterile soils, rocky or sandy[6]. Established plants tolerate drought[3].
Leaf secretions inhibit the germination of seeds, thereby reducing the amount of plants that can grow under the trees[7].
Because of its tolerance of poor soils, the northern pitch pine is used in America for re-afforesting worn-out lands[8]. It is planted on a small scale for timber in many European countries[9].
Growth of young seedlings is slow[8], but from the age of about 5 years they are fairly fast growing[8] with average annual increases in height of almost 30cm[10]. Growth soon tails off in areas where the tree is not well suited[10]. Most trees in Britain are found in S. England[10].
The cones are 3 - 9cm long, they open and shed their seed whilst still attached to the tree and can persist on the tree for 10 years or more[11][6].
Plants are strongly outbreeding, self-fertilized seed usually grows poorly[3]. They hybridize freely with other members of this genus[3].
Sucker shoots are often produced from the trunk[12][13]. This is the only species of pine known to produce suckers[6].
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[3].
Range: Eastern N. America - New Brunswick to Georgia and west to Kentucky.
Habitat: Sandy or barren plains and dry gravelly uplands[14][11], occasionally in cold deep swamps[11]. It is most abundant in the coastal region south of Massachusetts[11].
Edibility: A vanillin flavouring is obtained as a by-product of other resins that are released from the pulpwood[3].
Medicinal: The turpentine obtained from the resin of all pine trees is antiseptic, diuretic, rubefacient and vermifuge[15]. It is a valuable remedy used internally in the treatment of kidney and bladder complaints and is used both internally and as a rub and steam bath in the treatment of rheumatic affections[15]. It is also very beneficial to the respiratory system and so is useful in treating diseases of the mucous membranes and respiratory complaints such as coughs, colds, influenza and TB[15]. Externally it is a very beneficial treatment for a variety of skin complaints, wounds, sores, burns, boils etc and is used in the form of liniment plasters, poultices, herbal steam baths and inhalers[15].
Usage: A tan or green dye is obtained from the needles[16].
The needles contain a substance called terpene, this is released when rain washes over the needles and it has a negative effect on the germination of some plants, including wheat[17].
Smoke from the burning leaves has been used to get rid of fleas[18].
The tree is a good source of resin but it is not exploited commercially[19]. Oleo-resins are present in the tissues of all species of pines, but these are often not present in sufficient quantity to make their extraction economically worthwhile[19]. The resins are obtained by tapping the trunk, or by destructive distillation of the wood[15][19]. In general, trees from warmer areas of distribution give the higher yields[19]. Turpentine consists of an average of 20% of the oleo-resin[19] and is separated by distillation[15][19]. Turpentine has a wide range of uses including as a solvent for waxes etc, for making varnish, medicinal etc[15]. Rosin is the substance left after turpentine is removed. This is used by violinists on their bows and also in making sealing wax, varnish etc[15]. Pitch can also be obtained from the resin and is used for waterproofing, as a wood preservative etc. The knots contain so much resin that they resist rot. They burn well and have been gathered and placed at the ends of sticks to make torches[6].
Wood - coarse-grained, light, soft, brittle, not strong, very durable, resinous[20][11][8]. It weighs 32lb per cubic foot[13]. Mainly used for charcoal and fuel, it is occasionally sawn into lumber[20][11][8].
Pollinators: Wind
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Seed Ripens: Mid Winter-Late Winter
Flower Type: Monoecious
Known Hazards: The wood, sawdust and resins from various species of pine can cause dermatitis in sensitive people[21].
Links
References
- ↑ McMillan-Browse, Philip. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books, 1985.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Rushforth, Keith. Conifers. Batsford, 1991.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Lauriault, Jean. Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada. Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 1989.
- ↑ Philbrick, Helen and Richard Gregg. Companion Plants. Watkins, 1979.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Elias, Thomas. The Complete Trees of North America. Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1980.
- ↑ Tutin, Tom et al.. Flora Europaea. Cambridge University Press, 1964.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Mitchell, Alan. Conifers in the British Isles. Stationery Office Books, 1975.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 Sargent, Charles. Manual of the Trees of North America. Dover, 1965.
- ↑ Brickell, Christopher. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers. Dorling Kindersley Publishers, 1990.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Britton, Nathaniel and Addison Brown. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada. Dover Publications, 1970.
- ↑ Lyndon, Merritt. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co, 1950.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 15.7 Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ Grae, Ida. Nature's Colors. MacMillan Publishing, 1974.
- ↑ Allardice, Pamela. A-Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers, 1993.
- ↑ Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 Howes, Frank. Vegetable Gums and Resins. Chronica Botanica, 1949.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Foster, Steven and Billy Tatum. Medicinal Plants of Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin, 1990.