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Common Name: Prickle Pine

General Information

Pinus pungens is an evergreen tree with an irregularly rounded or flattened crown; it can grow up to 15 metres tall. The straight to crooked bole is poorly self-pruning, it can be up to 60cm in diameter[].
The tree is too small and knotty to be much utilized. It produces a low quality timber that is sometimes harvested commercially for use as pulpwood and is also used locally for fue[, ]l. A natural pioneer species, it can be used to restore native woodland and also to prevent the erosion of shallow, fragile soil systems on slopes. This species is not often seen in cultivation as it does not make a shapely tree; its gnarled form on rocky outcrops in nature can be very picturesque and reminiscent of Chinese or Japanese landscape paintings. It is restricted to botanic gardens and arboreta in Europe and North America[].
Pinus pungens is a widespread species that is under some threat from altered forest management that prevents fires and encourages other species more suitable for timber production. However, its occurrence over a wide area and its ecology seem to ensure that it will not become threatened with extinction in the foreseeable future. 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

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Range

Eastern N. America - New Jersey and Pennsylvania to Georgia and Tennessee.

Habitat

Shale outcrops and dry rocky or gravelly soils[]. Usually found on or near exposed ridges; at elevations from 500 - 1,350 metres[]. Sometimes forming pure forests[, ].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	10.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Pinus pungens is found in a temperate region of eastern N. America where the summers are cool to warm while winters are moderately cold and wet. Mean annual precipitation varies from north to south and also with elevation; it can range from 760 - 2100mm[]. The plant is moderately cold-hardy, being able to tolerate temperatures down to around -20°c when fully dormant[].
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[, ]. Grows in the wild on a variety of soils, but is absent from limestone derived substrates[]. Dislikes poorly drained moorland soils[]. Succeeds on the poorest sands[]. Established plants tolerate drought[].
A slow-growing tree in its native habitat[], though it can produce seeds when only a metre tall[].
Very few trees are being grown in Britain, it would seem to be of moderate growth in this country, averaging 25 - 30cm a year for the first 30 years or so[]. Many trees are small and stunted in Britain[]. A tree in Sussex was 17 metres tall in 1985[].
The broadly ovoid seed cones are 5 - 10cm long[, ]. They ripen in their second year and open and shed their seed whilst still attached to the tree[, ], though they sometimes remain closed for 2 - 3 years before shedding their seed and can persist on the branches for 20 years[].
Plants are strongly outbreeding, self-fertilized seed usually grows poorly[]. They hybridize freely with other members of this genus[].
The resin from a broken shoot has a scent like lemon-curd[].
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

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

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 rather small (the size given includes the shell)[].
The seeds are around 6mm long[].

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:

This pine is a pioneer species, able to take advantage of sudden environmental changes such as disturbance by forest fire; it invades abandoned agricultural fields in many areas[], and can be used in planting schemes to restore native woodland[]..
It provides a protective forest cover on unstable, shallow rocky soils on mountain slopes[].
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 soft, light in weight, not strong, brittle, very coarse grained[, , ]. It weighs 31lb per cubic foot[]. Generally of small dimensions with many knots, it is of very little value for its wood though it is sometimes used for pulp[, ].
The wood is sometimes used for fuel and to make charcoal[, , ].

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[].