Scots pine
Scots pine navigation
The Scots pine – or Pinus sylvestris – is Scotland's national tree. It is a native of the once extensive Caledonian Forest. It's the only timber-producing conifer native to Scotland.
Scots pine is known as a pioneer species due to its ability to regenerate and thrive in poor soils. You can find this tree further afield too – it’s extensively planted in Europe and beyond.
Scots pine timber is strong and easy to work with.
Facts and statistics
Here are some interesting facts about Scots pine.
300 years.
Matures up to 36 metres, losing its lower branches as it ages.
Twisted blue-green needles are found in pairs and are around 4 to 7 cm long.
Brown egg-shaped cones, in clusters of two to four that point backwards along the stem, with a small sharp prickle on each scale. The Scots pine also has pointed hanging cones with woody scales.
The upper bark is an orange-red, while the lower bark is fissured.
172.
Northern Europe and Asia, Spain and Anatolia.
In the past it was used for ships’ masts, as a source of turpentine, resin and tar, and for charcoal.
Today we use Scots pine timber for building, furniture, chipboard, boxes, fences, telegraph poles and paper pulp.