“…fast-growing compared to other pines, adding 13-30 inches in height a year”– Fun Facts
Full Tree, Pinus nigra (Przykuta, 2010)
Pinus nigra was first described by Johann Franz Xaver Arnold (1785). The Austrian Pine has numerous described subspecies and varieties, with generally five currently recognized: pallasiana (Turkey and Crimea), dalmatica (Balkans), salzmannii (France and Spain), laricio (Corsica, Sicily and Calabria) and nigra (Alps) (Farjon, 2010). Pinus nigra has sometimes been confused for the species Picea mariana (formerly Picea nigra), due to the similarities in its name, though they differ dramatically in morphology, most notably in cone type. Picea mariana is a spruce (genus Picea) and not a pine (genus Pinus).
In this park, Pinus nigra can be distinguished from other pines by needle length and fascicle (needle bundle) count. Pinus nigra has moderate-length needles that are 3-6 inches long and in fascicles of two. Pinus ponderosa has needles most often in fascicles of three, though it can be 2-5, but with needles 3-10 inches long. Pinus sylvestris also has needles in bundles of two, but with needles only 1.5-3 inches long, usually less than half that of Pinus nigra (Kral, 1993).
Pinus nigra is fast-growing compared to other pines, adding 13-30 inches in height a year, a trait preferred in the horticultural industry (Woodland Trust, 2024).
Austrian pine is susceptible to a variety of pests and insects, and generally discouraged from planting in the US Midwest due to its susceptibility (Morton Arboretum, 2024).
Native
Introduced
Pinus nigra is native to Europe and North Africa. It prefers mineral-rich sandy soil and has been known to also grow in limestone. This hardy tree is quite tolerant of a variety of soils (Enescu et al, 2016).
According to the IUCN red-list criteria Pinus nigra is rated as “Least Concern” regarding its conservation (Farjon, 2013).
