Scotch Vs. Austrian Pine

Dimensions

• Medium to coarse in texture, Scotch, or Scots, pines require six to eight years to reach a height of 7 or 8 feet, but at maturity can surpass 125 feet in height with a spread of 80 to 100 feet. With a medium growth rate, fine-textured Austrian pines, also known as black pines, attain between 50 to 80 feet in height and 20 to 40 feet in width.

Description

• Mature Scotch pines boast visually pleasing, reddish-orange bark. Branches bear leaves consisting of dark green to bluish-green needles, between 1 and 3 inches long, growing in clusters of two. Bunches of tiny, yellow, male and female flowers on Scotch pine trees develop into 1- to 2-inch-long cones that grow in abundance. Austrian pines produce dark green, 3- to 5-inch-long needles in bundles of two that contain sharp tips. Unlike Scotch pines, the Austrian variety drops needles, creating unsightly litter. Cones on Austrian pines grow from 1 to 3 inches long.

Uses

• Green and tan dyes can be obtained from Scotch pine needles; reddish-yellow tincture is created from the pine cones. The needles also double as packing material. Scotch pines contain resin, which is used on the bows of violins and also functions as a sealing wax. Wood fibers taken from Austrian pines are manufactured into pulp to produce paper goods. This variety is highly tolerant of salt and pollution, allowing for its popularity in urban landscapes and highway medians.

Scotch Pine Cultivars

• The slow growth rate of P. sylvestris “Watereri” does not detract from its status as a showy Scotch pine cultivar. At maturity, Watereri displays an expansive conical shape with branch tips that sweep upward. Twisted, bluish-gray needles add to the appeal of this pine tree, which grows to 12 feet in height with a width of 10 feet. When grown as groundcover, the fast-growing, densely spreading Hillside Creeper cultivar creates a wave-like appearance, reaching a breadth of 8 feet and a height of only 2 feet. With an extreme tolerance of pollution, Hillside Creepers flourish in urban environments.

Austrian Pine Cultivars

• P. nigra “Black Prince,” a dwarf conifer that reaches 6 feet tall and 5 feet wide, is a fitting choice for growth in small lots. This round-shaped cultivar boasts stunning white candles, or buds, and dark green needles. Black Prince grows exceptionally well in maritime climates and in cities. At maturity, the Austrian pine cultivar Arnold Sentinel can attain a height of 30 feet and a width of 10 feet. Bluish-green needles grow on this narrow pine, the shape of which lends it to be known as a columnar tree.