Pinus lambertiana

Pinus lambertiana (commonly known as the sugar pine) is the tallest and most massive pine tree and has among the longest cones of any conifer. It is native to coastal and inland mountain areas along the Pacific coast of North America, as far north as Oregon and as far south as Baja California in Mexico.

Description

A large tree. It grows 45-60 m high. It spreads 6 m wide. The crown is narrow and irregular. The needles are stiff and sharp. They are bluish. The cones hang down. They are 50 cm long. They are on long stalks. The kernels can be 1.25 cm long.

Edible Uses

The seeds can be eaten raw or cooked and are a good size, up to 15mm x 10mm, with a pleasant sweet nutty flavour and a hint of resin. The nut and shell together can be pulverised into a nut butter. Sap boiled down to remove the water yields a sugar. A sweet, sugar-like substance also exudes from wounds in the heartwood and from the cones, and is sometimes used for sweetening foods; both the boiled sap and the exudate are laxative in large quantities. Pitch from the trunk can be hardened and used as a chewing gum. A vanillin flavouring is also obtained as a by-product of resins released from the pulpwood.

Traditional Uses

The resin from the bark is sweet. It forms lumps of sugary substance used for sweetening foods. CAUTION It should not be eaten in large amounts. The sweet kernel of the nuts is eaten raw, roasted or pounded and used in cakes.

Medicinal Uses

Turpentine from the resin of pine trees is antiseptic, diuretic, rubefacient, and vermifuge. Taken internally, it is a valuable remedy for kidney and bladder complaints, and is used both internally and as a rub or steam bath for rheumatic conditions. It benefits the respiratory system and is useful against mucous membrane diseases, coughs, colds, influenza, and TB. Externally, it treats skin complaints, wounds, sores, burns, and boils, applied via liniment plasters, poultices, herbal steam baths, and inhalers. The sap is carminative and laxative. Dried sap powder has been eaten to treat stomach gas, constipation, and ulcers, and has also been prepared as eye drops to treat sore eyes.

Known Hazards

The wood, sawdust and resins from various species of pine can cause dermatitis in sensitive people.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It prefers cool, dry summers and very cold winters. It suits hardiness zones 7-9. Arboretum Tasmania.

Where It Grows

Australia, Bolivia, Mexico, North America, Tasmania, USA,

Cultivation

Thrives in a light well-drained sandy or gravelly loam. Dislikes poorly drained moorland soils. Established plants tolerate drought. Plants have a deep taproot that anchors them firmly when growing in a windy site. A very vigorous tree in Britain, capable of growing 1 metre per year when young. The trees are long-lived in their native environment, but can take 100 years or more before they come into reliable seed bearing. Even then seed production is sparse, with good yields only every 4 - 5 years. The cones open and shed their seed in early autumn whilst still attached to the tree. They are up to 45cm long and often drip with a sweet sap. Unfortunately the cones are seldom borne in Britain, though a tree at Hawkestone Park in Shropshire often bears cones. Leaf secretions inhibit the germination of seeds, thereby reducing the amount of plants that can grow beneath the tree. Trees are susceptible to the 'white pine blister rust' and should not be grown near to blackcurrants. This rust killed off all the plantings of this species that were made prior to 1960. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus. Plants are strongly outbreeding, self-fertilized seed usually grows poorly. They hybridize freely with other members of this genus. The crushed leaves and shoots have a sweet grapefruit-like aroma.

Propagation

Sow seed in individual pots in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe, or in late winter if not. Stored seed benefits from a short stratification of 6 weeks at 4°c to improve germination. Seedlings should be planted into their permanent positions as soon as possible and protected for the first winter or two. Because the root system is very sparse, early transplanting is essential for good establishment. Plant trees when small, between 30 and 90cm — ideally at around 5–10cm tall. A thorough weed-excluding mulch greatly aids establishment. Larger transplants check badly and show little growth for several years, with poor root development and wind resistance as a result. Cuttings can be taken, but only from trees less than 10 years old. Use single leaf fascicles with the base of the short shoot. Disbudding the shoots several weeks before taking cuttings can help, though cuttings are generally slow to establish.

Other Uses

A tan or green dye can be obtained from the needles. The needles release a substance called terpene when washed by rain, which inhibits germination of some plants including wheat. The tree yields a pitch, though it is not commercially important. Oleo-resins occur in the tissues of all pines, obtained by tapping the trunk or by destructive distillation of the wood; trees from warmer regions generally yield more. Turpentine makes up an average of 20% of the oleo-resin and is separated by distillation, with uses including as a solvent for waxes, in varnish, and medicinally. The remaining rosin is used by violinists on their bows and in sealing wax and varnish. Pitch derived from the resin is used for waterproofing and as a wood preservative. The resin is also used as an adhesive. The wood is light, soft, straight but coarse-grained, and is used for lumber and interior finishes.

Notes

There are over 100 species of Pinus.

Also Known As

California sugar pine, Ocote, Pino de azacur

References (20)

• Beckstrom-Sternberg, Stephen M., and James A. Duke. "The Foodplant Database." http://probe.nalusda.gov:8300/cgi-bin/browse/foodplantdb.(ACEDB version 4.0 - data version July 1994)
• Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 801
• Ciesla, W.M., 1998, Non-wood forest products from conifers. Non-wood forest products 12, FAO, Rome, p 72
• Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 1048
• Elias, T.S. & Dykeman P.A., 1990, Edible Wild Plants. A North American Field guide. Sterling, New York p 193

More from Pinaceae

Pinus halepensis

Aleppo Pine, Jerusalem pine

Pinus heldreichii

Pinus henryi

Pinus jeffreyi

Jeffrey pine, Yellow pine

Pinus johannis

Johann's pine

Pinus kesiya

Khasi pine, Three-needled pine