Common Name:

General Information

Pinus devoniana is an evergreen tree with a broad, open, pyramidal or domed crown; it can grow 20 - 30 metres tall. The straight, cylindrical bole can reach 80 - 100cm in diameter[, ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a source of wood. Although little known in horticulture, it is one of the most strikingly beautiful pines, with perhaps the longest needles in the entire genus, large cones and a deep red-brown bark[].
Pinus devoniana is a widespread and common species that is not an important timber tree and is unlikely to be much reduced in secondary forest types. 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

Range

Central N. America - Guatemala, north to Sinaloa, Zacatecas and San Luis Potosí in Mexico,

Habitat

Relatively open, often secondary pine-oak forests, or growing with Pinus oocarpa invading burned mountainsides.; at elevations from 700 - 3,000 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	20.00 m
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Pinus devoniana is not a very cold-hardy plant, able to tolerate short periods with temperatures down to around -5°c when fully dormant[]. It grows in an area where the climate is warm-temperate to subtropical, with a mean annual precipitation of 1,000 - 1,500mm and a dry season of around 6 months[].
Requires a sunny position. Found in the wild on a variety of soils, often of volcanic origin[].
The plant is well adapted to withstand fires by its juvenile "grass stage"[].
The seed cones are 15 - 35cm × 8 - 15cm, maturing in winter when about 20 months old[].
This is one of several Pinus species that have a juvenile life stage. After germinating, the seedlings produce secondary foliage but the central shoot does not elongate - at this stage the plant looks more like a bunchgrass than a pine. Especially when growing in shade, the plant can remain in this juvenile stage for several years, developing a large taproot but not increasing in height. If the light levels increase (due to removal of tree cover by fire, deforestation or some other reason) then the plant commences rapid height growth[].
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[].

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 they are fairly small (the size given includes the shell)[].
The light brown seeds are 8 - 10mm long and 5 - 7mm wide[, ].

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[].
This species is a natural pioneer within its native range, where it is often found growing on disturbed mountain sides[]. It can be used in reforestation projects to restore native woodland and protect mountain slopes[].

Other Uses

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

The wood is used for resin production[, ]. 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 good quality[], and can be used for fence posts, boxes, Joinery, furniture, tool handles, and other woodware. Because it is not a very tall, straight-boled tree and has branches low on the trunk, it is not often selected as a timber tree, though the wood can be chipped, mixed with other pine wood chips then glued and compressed to produced particleboard[].
The wood is often 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[].