Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Pinus pinaster

Family

Pinaceae

Flowering season

May to June

English distribution

It is found mainly in the Southwest and is thinly scattered

elsewhere.

See the BSBI distribution map for Maritime Pine

Habitat

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

1590s and recorded in the wild in the early 1850s.

It grows mainly by the South coast and is naturalised

in Dorset and Hampshire where it self seeds and can

be invasive on heathland.

Inland, it is planted in parks, estates, large gardens

and amenity areas,

Description

Maritime Pine is and evergreen, coniferous tree growing

up to 35m.

In exposed conditions it can be much shorter and

almost prostrate.

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

They replace short shoots.

Female flowers are up to 2.5cm, bright pink and in

clusters of 3 to 5 at the tip of the shoot..

They replace long shoots.

Cones are up to 18cm, green and then brown. 

The scales have a deciduous point. Cones are persistent

and  can remain on the tree for years.

The leaves are in 2s, up to 25cm and may be slightly

curved.

The bark is dark brown.