Black pine

The black pine of Europe ( Pinus will nigra ) (called simply black pine in Europe) is a species of pine presenting many varieties and that one finds in southernmost Europe, of the Spain to the the Crimea, in Asia Mineure, with Cyprus and locally in the mountains of the Atlas in Africa of the North-West.

Subspecies and varieties

The species is divided into two or three subspecies, each one still subdivided in various varieties:

Pinus nigra subsp. will nigra Arn., Eastern variety, which pushes Austria, in the Crimea and the Turkey, while passing by the North-East and the center of the Italy:

Pinus nigra subsp. will nigra VAr. nigra Arn. : black pine of Austria ;
Pinus nigra subsp. will nigra VAr. caramanica (Loudon) Rehder: black pine of Turkey ;
Pinus nigra subsp. will nigra VAr. pallasiana (Lambert) Asch. & Graebn. : pine of the Crimea ;

Pinus nigra subsp. salzmannii (Dunal) Free 1943, Western variety, which pushes of Italy of the south in North Africa, while passing by the Spain and France:

Pinus nigra subsp. salzmannii VAr. salzmannii (Dunal) Free 1943: black pine of the Cevennes or pine of Salzmann ;
Pinus nigra subsp. salzmannii VAr. mauretanica Mayor & Peyerimoff: black pine of the Atlas ;

Pinus nigra subsp. laricio (Poiret) Mayor (or Pinus will nigra subsp. salzmannii VAr. laricio (Loudon) Hylander), endemic subspecies of the Mediterranean:

Pinus nigra subsp. laricio VAr. corsicana : pine laricio of Corsica;
Pinus nigra subsp. laricio VAr. calabrica : pine laricio of Calabria.

In Europe and Minor Asia, the black pines usually push in a habitat common to others Résineux like the woodland Pin ( Pinus sylvestris ), the spruce of Serbia ( Picea omorika ), the Pin of Bosnia ( Pinus heldreichii ), the common spruce ( Picea abies ), the Cèdre of Lebanon ( Cedrus libani ), the white Sapin ( Abies alba ) and others Conifère S, several species of the Genévrier ( Juniperus ) and various Feuillu S.

The black pine of Europe is used in town ornament, in particular with the the United States, because of its great resistance to the salt (road salt used the winter) and to the various pollutants industrialist (including the Ozone), as well as his tolerance with the dryness.

Morphology and habitat

The black pine pushes with Altitude S extending between the sea level and 2 000 m, most generally between 250 and 1 600 Mr. C' is large a Arbre since it reaches 20-55 m from height to its maturity. Its bark is yellow-brown with gray, glaze of broad scales punts separated by deep cracks and fissures more and more with the age. The Feuille S (named “needles”) are folded of two, color green-dark and 8 with 20 centimetres length. The cone S of Ovule S and Pollen appear as from May or June. The ripe seed cones are long of 5 with 10 centimetres, with round scales; the ripening, which is carried out in September and November, is 18 months after pollination, the fact of passing from the green to the yellow clear chamois. The seeds, equipped with wings, are dispersed by the wind when the cones open, that is to say as from December at April. The sexual maturity of the tree is reached between 15 and 40 years; large quantities of seed are produced all the 2 with 5 years. Its growth is moderately fast (30 with 70 cm/an) and, in general, it presents a round conical silhouette, becoming irregular with the age; it has a rather great longevity, since one meets some trees more 500 years. The black pine does not appreciate the shade and requires much sun for good to develop, but it resists the damage of snow and ice.

The wood of the black pine, similar to that of the woodland pine and red Pine ( Pinus resinosa ), is moderately hard and present a right grain. It however tends to being rougher, softer and less extremely, because of its faster growth. It is employed, in Europe especially, like fuel, like in the manufacture of Papier and in the general construction industry (for example, Napoleon employed in particular the pines laricios of Corsica like masts for its ships).

Each variety is adapted to various types of ground, according to its geographical source: the black pines of Austria or the the Pyrenees open out easily on a broad range of grounds, the Corsican laricio supports badly the grounds Calcaire S contrary to the pines of Turkish origin or criméenne. Some evening its source, the black pine grows easily on the Podzosol. The Eastern subspecies will nigra shown a greater robustness with freezing in Hiver (even below -30°C) that the Western subspecies salzmannii (which resists until approximately -25°C).

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