Common Name: Canary Island Pine

General Information

Pinus canariensis is an evergreen tree with a usually open crown of regular, candelabra-like upswept branches; it usually grows up to 40 metres tall, occasionally reaching 60 metres. The straight, cylindrical bole can be 100 - 120cm in diameter[].
The tree used to be widely harvested for its good quality wood in the Canary Islands, but is now protected and cannot be cut down. It is cultivated as a timber crop in some other warm temperate areas such as S. Africa and southeast Australia, and is also grown as an ornamental.
Pinus canariensis is abundant on Tenerife where it is clearly recovering from past over-cutting. There is no evidence of cutting or recent fires and the authorities are well aware of the importance of retaining forest cover on the extremely permeable volcanic 'soil' of the island in order to ensure water supplies. Exploitation of its timber has been banned and this ban is strictly enforced. Similar improvements have occurred on other islands. Past decline has not only been halted, it has been reversed due to active management and protection. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].
In Australia and South Africa it has escaped cultivation and is actively invading (i.e., naturally regenerating) in native habitats of mallee shrubland and heath (in Western Australia) and fynbos and forest (in South Africa)[].

Known Hazards

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

Botanical References

Range

Macaronesia - Canary Islands

Habitat

Exposed mountain slopes of volcanic origin amidst or on old lava flows and on scoria; at elevations from 1,200 - 2,200 metres[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Conservation Status	Least Concern
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	35.00 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Pinus canariensis is a native of the sub-humid, warm temperate climate of the Canary Islands. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 19 - 29°c, but can tolerate 9 - 33°c[]. When dormant, the plant can survive temperatures down to about -4°c, but young growth is more tender and can be severely damaged at 0°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 800 - 1,500mm, but tolerates 600 - 1,750mm[, ].
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[, ]. Succeeds on limestone soils in the Mediterranean[]. Prefers a pH in the range 6.5 - 7, tolerating 6 - 7.5[]. Tolerant of salt-laden winds[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[].
The ovoid-conic seed cones are 12 - 23cm long, 8cm wide[]. They ripen in spring, about two years after pollination, and open the same summer or up to a year later to release their seed.[]f.
The thick bark, underlain by epicormic buds, and the capacity for basal resprouting, are adaptions that enable this pine to survive moderately intense fires[].
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[].
Annual wood production potential is 8 - 18 cubic metres per hectare[]

Edible Uses

The seeds of all Pinus species are more or less edible, and some are of good size and make very tasty and nutritious foods, often eaten in quantitiy. Others can be less desireable, either having a strongly resinous flavour, being bitter or, more commonly, rather too small and fiddly to make it very worthwhle even trying to eat them,
We have no specific information of the desireability of this species, though it appears moderate (the size given includes the shell)[].
The shiny blackish brown seeds are 11 - 15mm long and 6 - 7mm wide with a hard shell[].

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 species is of vital importance to the Canary Islands in gathering water. It grows in the cloud forest belt, where rainfall is typically around 50 cm; under the trees, this increases to 200 cm with fog drip off the leaves. This fourfold increase in precipitation supplies the irrigation water essential for the Islands' economy[].
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

The fallen dead leaves used to be extensively used as packaging material for bananas exported from the Canary Islands[].

A resin is obtained from the bark[].
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 exceedingly durable and ranks with the best types of pinewood[]. It has been used extensively in construction[].

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[].
The juvenile shoots root easily from cuttings, but adult foliage does not[].