Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Pinus radiata

Family

Pinaceae

Flowering season

April to May

English distribution

It is found mainly in the Southwest and parts of the South

and  East Anglia. It is thinly scattered elsewhere an

absent from  the North.

See the BSBI distribution map for Monterey Pine

Habitat

It is a neophyte which was first grown in the UK in

the 1830s and found in the wild in the early 1960s.

It is grown in parks, estates, large gardens and

amenity areas,  round fields and as a wind break.

It is most common by the coast.

Description

Monterey Pine is and evergreen, coniferous tree

growing up to 41m.

Male cones are orange, up to 1.5cm and in groups.

They replace short shoots.

Female cones are up to 2.5cm and bright red.

They replace long shoots.

Seed cones are up to 14cm, green and then brown.

The scales have a deciduous point.

They have short stems and are distinctively asymetric.

They are persistent and can remain on the tree for years.

The leaves are in 3s, bright green and up to 25cm.

The bark is brown on young wood and grey on older wood.