Common Name: Cerro Potosi Pinyon

General Information

Pinus culminicola is an evergreen tree with a dense, shrubby crown; it can grow up to 5 metres tall. The trunk is short, leaning and often forked, around 10 - 25cm in diameter with branches spreading from the base for 4 - 5 metres. The plants often form extensive mats up to several meters thick and tens of meters across 'matorral'[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of materials. The plant has potential for use as an ornamental[].
Pinus culminicola is only known from a few mountain tops. The population is severely fragmented as it is restricted to mountain summits and does not occur in the intervening valleys. There has been a recent decline due to fire and a decline is predicted to continue in future unless adequate counter measures are taken. The plant is classified as 'Endangered' 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

Range

South N. America - northeast Mexico (Coahuila, Nuevo León)

Habitat

Coniferous forest, often forming pure stands[], growing in cloud forest; at elevations from 3,000 - 3,700 metres[, ].

Properties

Conservation Status	Endangered
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	3.50 m
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Pinus culminicola is found at high elevations in the subtropical zone of northern Mexico. It is a moderately cold-hardy plant, able to tolerate temperatures down to around -15°c when fully dormant[]. Rainfall, some of it falling as snow, is generally abundant[].
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[, ]. Found in the wild mostly on rocky and calcareous sols[]. Dislikes poorly drained moorland soils[]. Established plants tolerate drought, succeeding in hot dry positions[].
A slow growing plant[], but when mature it is fully hardy in Britain[]. Young trees are less hardy than mature specimens, only tolerating temperatures down to about -3°c[].
Plants are often sub-dioecious[].
Plants are strongly outbreeding, self-fertilized seed usually grows poorly[]. They hybridize freely with other members of this genus[].
The seed cones are 20 - 45mm × 30 - 55mm; they take two growing seasons to mature, opening and releasing their seed whilst still on the tree[, , ]
This is one of several species of pine that have a mutualistic relationship with species of birds in the family Corvidae (in this case Jays and Nutcrackers) 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[].
Leaf secretions inhibit the germination of seeds, thereby inhibiting the growth of other plants below the tree[].
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

Seed - raw or cooked[]. The oil-rich seed has a resinous flavour. The seeds are 9 - 13mm × 8 - 9mm; with vestigial wings[].

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[].

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 used for fuel[].

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[].