Pinus contorta is generally seen as comprising three varieties[]. This record is for the var contorta, separate records exist for the vars latifolia and murrayana.

Common Name: Shore Pine

General Information

Pinus contorta contorta is an evergreen tree with an irregularly rounded or flat crown; it usually grows up to 10 metres tall, exceptionally to 30 metres. The straight bole is up to 50cm in diameter; it leans towards the land in sheltered sites near the sea, becoming contorted and bent in more exposure. In greater exposure the plant is often reduced to shrub form by wind shear and salt spray[, ].
This form of the species is widely harvested for its wood, but it is mostly a low-quality tree for timber use. The plant has a wide range of traditional uses as a food, medicine and source of materials. This is one of the most important afforestation species in Britain, being grown on poor and highly exposed sites[].
Pinus contorta contorta is widespread and abundant in many parts of its range. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].
Pinus contorta is considered a major weed, ranked as one of the five most invasive pines. A fast-growing, short-lived conifer with a very wide ecological tolerance, it has been widely planted in temperate regions for forestry and erosion control. It is reported to be invasive in many temperate countries. and is a declared Class B noxious weed in New Zealand. Its invasiveness is mainly due to its small, wind-distributed seed, high seed production, short juvenile period, and short intervals between large crops. It readily invades open, disturbed ground caused be events such as wildfires or clear-felling of forests; changing the vegetation structure, altering fire regimes and negatively impactacting native species, reducing richness, abundance and diversity[].

Known Hazards

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

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Western N. America - southern Alaska, British Colombia, Washington, Oregon and California

Habitat

Maritime fog forests, bogs, and dry foothills, growing in coastal dunes and sphagnum covered bogs to dry areas further inland; at elevations up to 600 metres[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	8.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Pinus contorta contorta is a moderately cold-hardy plant, able to tolerate temperatures down to around -15°c when fully dormant. It occupies a vast latitudinal range in western N. America, from Alaska in the north to California in the south. Consequently it has a wide ecological amplitude and grows form near sea level to 600 metres or perhaps higher. Mean annual precipitation can be as high as 5,000mm along the northern coast[, , ].
Requires a sunny position. Thrives in a light well-drained sandy or gravelly loam[, ]. Plants are often found in infertile soils in the wild[]. Dislikes poorly drained moorland soils[]. Tolerates water-logged soils[]. Succeeds in exposed maritime positions[, ]. Established plants tolerate drought[].
Pinus contorta var. contorta is fire successional. It is mostly a low-quality tree for timber use[].
The coastal form of this species is a very fast growing tree, especially when young, with new growth of 1 metre or more per year[]. The forms from coastal Washington and Oregon do best in Britain.
New growth takes place from mid spring until mid summer185]. Trees are long-lived, with specimens 600 years old recorded[].
Trees can be shrubby in habit when they are grown on poor sites[].
There are some named forms, selected for their ornamental value[].
Plants are strongly outbreeding, self-fertilized seed usually grows poorly[]. They hybridize freely with other members of this genus[].
Trees come into flower at an early age, usually between 6 and 10 years[]. Good seed crops are produced every 1 - 3 years[].
The cones are 2 - 5cm long[]. They take two growing seasons to ripen then some of them will open and shed their seed whilst still attached to the tree, whilst others will remain unopened on the tree, preserving the vitality of the seeds until they are stimulated to open by excessively hot weather or a forest fire[, , , ].
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

Inner bark - raw or cooked[, , , , ]. It can be used fresh or dried. It is mashed into a pulp and made into cakes then baked[]. Harvested in early spring, the taste is not unpleasant, but it develops a strong taste of turpentine as the season advances[]. The inner bark is ready to harvest when the male cones are producing pollen[]. A famine food, it is only used when all else fails.

Sap - collected in spring and used as a drink[, ].

Seed - raw or cooked[]. Rather small, the seeds in their shells are around 5mm long[].

A gum is made from the pitch obtained from the trunk. It is allowed to harden and used for chewing[].

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

Medicinal

Beach pine was widely employed medicinally by several native North American Indian tribes who used it especially for its antiseptic and healing properties on wounds, infections etc, and also for its beneficial effects upon the chest and lungs[]. It is little, if at all, used in modern herbalism.

The turpentine obtained from the resin of all pine trees is antiseptic, diuretic, rubefacient, vermifuge and vulnerary[, ]. It is a valuable remedy when taken internally in the treatment of kidney and bladder complaints and can be used both internally and externally in the treatment of rheumatic affections[, ]. It is also used in treating diseases of the mucous membranes and respiratory complaints[, ].
Externally it is used in the form of liniment plasters and poultices in treating a range of skin complaints, wounds, boils etc[, ].

A decoction of the young shoots has been used in the treatment of stomach pains[]. The young buds have been chewed in the treatment of a sore throat[].

The inner bark has been eaten as a blood purifier, diuretic and cathartic[]. A decoction has been used as a tonic and in the treatment of coughs, colds, consumption and gonorrhoea[].

Agroforestry Uses:

A natural pioneer species that can be used for restoring native woodland. It aggressively colonizes open and disturbed land and can form huge pure stands following a forest fire or after clear-felling an area for timber[].
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[].
This is one of the most important afforestation species in Britain, where its main uses are as a nurse for Picea sitchensis on poor and highly exposed sites, and for planting on coal-mining spoil heaps where it is one of the few trees that will grow successfully[]..

Other Uses

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

The roots have been braided by native N. Americans to make a rope[].

A pitch obtained from this tree is used for waterproofing canoes, baskets, shoes etc and as a glue[, , , ]. It has also been used to preserve wood, baskets etc[]. The pitch is not a commercially important crop[].

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[].

Wood - straight but coarse-grained, light in weight, hard, strong, brittle[, ]. It varies from light and soft to hard and heavy[]. A low-quality tree for timber use, the wood is easily worked and can be used for general construction, posts, poles, pulp etc[, , , , , ].
The wood makes a good fuel, burning well even when green because it is rich in pitch[, ].

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[].