Common Name: Bishop's Pine

General Information

Pinus muricata is an evergreen tree with a crown that becomes rounded, flattened or irregular with age; it can grow up to 24 metres tall. The straight to contorted bole can be up to 90cm in diameter[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. The tree is harvested from the wild for its wood, but not on a commercial basis[]. The tree is grown as an ornamental and can be used in shelterbelt plantings[].
Pinus muricata depends for regeneration upon periodic destruction of the vegetation by naturally occurring fires, to which this region is prone. Unfortunately, great efforts are expended by humans to prevent these natural fires, which thus prevents regeneration of this and several other species. Although no figures about decline are known, it is more than likely that this is happening due to habitat alteration in connection to these fire fighting/ fire prevention measures. An additional threat is posed by changes in precipitation (fog and rainfall) patterns: some dieback has been attributed to recent droughts. The plant is classified as 'Vulnerable' 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

South-western N. America - western California, Baja Norte

Habitat

Dry ridges to coastal, windshorn forests, often in or around bogs; at elevations up to 300 metres[]. Found in eight scattered locations on exposed bluffs and headlands, often drenched by salt spray[, , ].

Properties

Conservation Status	Vulnerable
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	20.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Pinus muricata grows in a Mediterranean-type climate, with long hot summers (tempered by late summer and autumn fogs), and cool, moist winters. It is not a very cold-hardy plant, being able to tolerate short periods with temperatures down to around -10°c when fully dormant. Mean annual rainfall is around 500mm[, ].
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[, ]. Plants in the wild grow in dry sandy soils, on clay barrens and on swampy ground or in peat bogs[]. Dislikes poorly drained moorland soils and calcareous soils[, ]. Established plants tolerate drought[] and are very resistant to maritime exposure[]. Mature trees produce a broad heavy crown and are somewhat likely to be blown down in severe gales[].
The plant grows quickly on barren acidic sandy soils[], with annual growths of 1.8 metres being recorded for young trees[]. Trees from the northern provenances maintain rapid height growth for longer than trees from the southern provenances, but both remain vigorous in girth[].
Trees grow larger in cultivation than they do in the wild[].
The curved-ovoid seed cones are around 4 - 9cm long, taking three growing seasons to mature. They remain closed on the tree and retain viable seed for up to 25 years, opening up and scattering the seed after a forest fire[, , ].
Plants are adapted to growing in a climate where fires occur naturally and are a regular occurrence. The tree is killed by intensive fires, but the seedpods are then stimulated to open, thus scattering the seed on pen land where they can germinate and grow with little competition[].
Plants are strongly outbreeding, self-fertilized seed usually grows poorly[]. They hybridize freely with other members of this genus[].
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

Seed - raw or cooked[]. They can be dried and stored for later use[]. Rather small, around 6 - 7mm long in their 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:

A very fast growing tree, even in exposed maritime areas, it makes a very good shelterbelt[, ]. Trees in a very exposed position at Rosewarne in N. Cornwall, England reached 10 metres in 29 years[].
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 roots have been used in making baskets[].

The wood is heavy, coarse-grained, weak, usually containing a number of knots[]. Of little value commercially[], though it is occasionally manufactured into lumber[]. Of medium quality, containing much resin; its uses are mainly heavy construction, beams, crates and some light construction, and carpentry or joinery, with the higher grades obtained from larger trees[].

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[].