Common Name: Dwarf Siberian Pine

General Information

Pinus pumila is an evergreen shrub becoming a small tree in the forest zone. Especially when in more open positions, it usually produces several creeping branches from near the base that become more erect near towards their end; the plant can grow up to 6 metres tall, with branches spreading out up to 10 metres[].
Dwarf Siberian Pine is of little economic value. The seeds are edible, but difficult to harvest and mostly left to birds, rodents and bears. In horticulture it is rarely met with and mostly confined to botanic gardens and arboreta, although in Russia and northern Japan it is also planted in some parks, road reservations and other amenity spaces. It should be a good species for rock gardens in countries with cold winters[].
Pinus pumila has one of the most extensive ranges of all species, and has a habit (shrubby) and ecology that make it highly unlikely to go extinct in the foreseeable future. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

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

Botanical References

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Range

N.E. Asia - eastern Siberia, Russian Far East, Mongolia, northern China, Japan, Korea

Habitat

An understorey plant in conifer forests in the lower parts of its range, often forming extensive thickets in exposed situations or above the tree line; at elevations up to 3,200 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	3.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Pinus pumila ia an exceedingly cold-hardy plant, able to tolerate temperatures down to about -70°c[].
Pine species in general require a sunny position if they are to grow well and, whilst the different species have their own soil preferences, most will thrive in a light well-drained sandy or gravelly loam[, ]. Dislikes poorly drained moorland soils[]. Established plants tolerate drought[]. Very wind resistant[].
This species is closely related to Pinus cembra[].
Plants are strongly outbreeding, self-fertilized seed usually grows poorly[]. They hybridize freely with other members of this genus[].
The conical-ovoid or ovoid seed cones are 30 - 45mm long and 25 - 30mm wide[]. The cones do not open on the tree, the seed is extracted by breaking up the soft scales of the cone[].
This is one of several species of pine that depend upon a mutualistic relationship with a species of bird (in this case the Spotted Nutcracker, Nucifraga caryocatactes) to disperse its seed. The birds have powerfull beaks which enable them to extricate the seeds and crack the shells. They store many of the seeds at some distance from the parent plant - some of these seeds never get eaten and can germinate and grow into new trees[].
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

Seed - raw or cooked[, , ]. Rich in oil, it has a slightly resinous flavour and a pleasant soft texture[]. The seeds are suitable for production of nut milk and oil[]. .A reasonable size, the seed is around 7 - 10mm long and 5 - 7mm wide[].

The pollen is used to flavour cookies in Korea[].

A vanillin flavouring is obtained as a by-product of other resins that are released from the pulpwood[].

Medicinal

Oil of turpentine, obtained from the oleo-resin of all pine trees, is antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, diuretic, rubefacient, stimulant and vermifuge[, ]. It is a valuable remedy used internally in the treatment of kidney and bladder complaints and is used both internally and as a rub and steam bath in the treatment of rheumatic affections[]. It is also very beneficial to the respiratory system and so is useful in treating diseases of the mucous membranes and respiratory complaints such as coughs, colds, influenza and TB[].
Applied externally in the form of liniment plasters, poultices, herbal steam baths and inhalers, it is a very beneficial treatment for a variety of skin complaints, wounds, sores, burns, boils etc[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The needles contain a substance called terpene, this is released when rain washes over the needles and it has a negative effect on the germination of some plants, including wheat[].

Other Uses

A tan or green dye is obtained from the needles[].

An extract of the twigs and needles is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a hair conditioner, humectant, perfume and skin conditioner[].

Oleo-resins are present in the tissues of all species of pines, but these are often not present in sufficient quantity to make their extraction economically worthwhile[]. The resins are obtained by tapping the trunk, or by destructive distillation of the wood[, ]. In general, trees from warmer areas of distribution give the higher yields[].
Oil of Turpentine consists of an average of 20% of the oleo-resin[] and is separated by distillation[, ]. Turpentine has a wide range of uses including as a solvent for waxes etc, for thinning and dissolving varnish and paints, a shoe polish, medicinal etc[, ].
Rosin is also obtained by distillation of pine resin. This is used in paper glue and soap manufacturing, as a constituent of varnishes and paints, and for coating the bows of stringed musical instruments such as violins[, ].
Pitch can also be obtained from the resin and is used for waterproofing, as a wood preservative etc[].

The wood is of small, contorted size and shape and only good for firewood in a region where there is plenty of this commodity of better quality[].
The wood is a source of fuel and charcoal[, ].

Propagation

It is best to sow the seed in individual pots in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe if this is possible otherwise in late winter. A short stratification of 6 weeks at 4°c can improve the germination of stored seed[]. Plant seedlings out into their permanent positions as soon as possible and protect them for their first winter or two[]. Plants have a very sparse root system and the sooner they are planted into their permanent positions the better they will grow[]. Trees should be planted into their permanent positions when they are quite small, between 30 and 90cm[]. We actually plant them out when they are about 5 - 10cm tall. So long as they are given a very good weed-excluding mulch they establish very well[]. Larger trees will check badly and hardly put on any growth for several years. This also badly affects root development and wind resistance[].
Cuttings. This method only works when taken from very young trees less than 10 years old. Use single leaf fascicles with the base of the short shoot. Disbudding the shoots some weeks before taking the cuttings can help. Cuttings are normally slow to grow away[].