Description
Pinus sylvestris (Scots Pine) Seeds
Zones: 3 to 7.
Native to Europe, parts of Anatolia and northern Asia to Siberia; introduced to North America.
The Scots pine is a beautiful evergreen tree that is hardy and adaptable to different environments. It is the most widely distributed conifer in the world growing in the British Isles and south to Spain, to Scandinavia and even up to the Arctic circle and across northern Asia to eastern Siberia.
It is attractive as a single specimen or it can be used as part of windbreak. This tree is also very popular as a Christmas tree.
It has a dense conical habit when young that becomes more broad and irregular with age. It features blue-green needles in bundles of two, up to 4 inches (10 cm) long. Cones are egg shaped with a point and have woody scales. The bark on young trees is orange-red, eventually developing scaly grey plates that overlay the inner bark. This large evergreen provides food and shelter and nesting sites for birds and can live a few centuries.
The Scots pine likes full sun and can grow in either moist, acidic, loamy, sandy, well-drained and dry soils. It has some drought tolerance once established.
Size: Height 50 to 60 ft; Width 20 to 40 ft.
Germination Instructions
Stratification: The seeds have a shallow dormancy and a short stratification is sufficient for germination. Provide about 30 days cold, moist stratification at 3° C (37° F) to 5° C (41° F).
- Soak seeds in water for 24 hours.
- Place seeds in sandwich bag(s) with a bit of damp sand or vermiculite to keep moist.
- Place the bag(s) with seeds in refrigerator for about 30 days.
- After the required time take the seeds out of the refrigerator and sow the seeds in pots 1/4 inch deep and cover lightly. Water gently so as not to wash away the seeds. Keep soil moist but not wet.
