Pinus densiflora

Japanese red pine ( Pinus densiflora )

The Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora ) is a plant of the family (Pinaceae ).

Description

The Japanese red pine grows as evergreen tree, reaching heights of growth from an average of 15, up to a maximum of 35 meters. The bark of young trees is reddish brown ( hence the name), with age, it is increasingly gray. The needles are bright green, are each to two in a needle sheath and 8 to 12 inches long. Overall, the needles three years remain on the tree.

The male cones are brown and are 9-10 inches long whorls. The pale brown female cones are round and tapering; they reach 4-7 inches in length and take two years to mature.

Occurrence

It is the dominant conifer on the Japanese islands, where it is known as Akamatsu (Japanese赤松), but also occurs on the far eastern mainland (Korea, China, southeastern Russia). This species grows on dry, slightly acidic soils in sunny locations.

Systematics and species

The first description comes from Philipp Franz von Siebold and Joseph Gerhard Zuccarini; it has been published in 1842 in their common task Flora japonica.

There are three varieties:

  • Pinus densiflora var densiflora
  • Pinus densiflora var ussuriensis Liou et QLWang 1958
  • Pinus densiflora var zhangwuensis SJZhang et al. 1995

There are several cultivated varieties known:

  • ' Globosa ': This dwarf has short dark green needles and is slow-growing.
  • 'Low Glow', 'Little Christopher ' (also ' Rezek 's Witch 's Broom Seedling' called ) and 'Tiny Temple ' (also ' Temple ' called ): These are all miniature forms with dark green needles.
  • ' Oculis Draconis ' (also known by its German name Dragon Eye Pine ): The needles of this form have alternately green and yellow bands. It grows as a large shrub or a small tree.
  • 'Pendula': This cultivar has to be trained by tying to the tree form, otherwise they crawling along the floor grows. The needles are dark green.
  • ' Umbraculifera ' ( also called ' Tagyōshō ' (Japanese多 形 松, dt "Much shaped jaw " ) known): These frequently encountered form grows as usually multi-stemmed tree or large shrub with a far -loaded crown; there are about 7 meters Height reaches or width. The bark is more or less orange. This cultivar is susceptible to snow damage. There are also dwarf forms ' Umbraculifera Compacta' and ' Jane Kluis ' that are more than 2 meters high.

Use

Cultural significance of the red pine traditionally in Japan, where she served as Akamatsu (赤松, dt " Red Pine " ) or Mematsu (雌 松, dt "Female pine " ), as opposed to also frequent in Japan Japanese black pine, the omatsu (雄 松, dt "masculine jaw " ) is called and forestry, and is used as an ornamental tree. She is regularly seen in Japanese gardens. In Central Europe, the use is problematic. The cultivation in parks and gardens is due to the high susceptibility to snow damage and leaf parasites of little interest. In forestry, other problems will be added due to the occurrence under Central European conditions poor vigor and root forms.

The oil-rich seeds of Japanese red pine are edible and have a slightly resinous flavor. The Living with the Red Pine Mushroom Matsutake in symbiosis in Japan is considered a delicacy.

Others

The red pine is in Japan the symbol tree of the prefectures of Iwate, Okayama and Yamaguchi.

Swell

  • Entry at conifers.org. (English)
Pinophyta Genus Pinus thunbergii
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