Tree & Flower Facts:
Pines are coniferous trees. Pines are evergreen and resinous. The bark of
most pines is thick and scaly, but some species have thin, flaking bark. The spiral growth of branches, needles and cone scales are arranged in Fibonacci number ratios. At maturity, the cones usually open to release the seeds, but in some of the bird-dispersed species the seeds are only released by the bird breaking the cones open. The seeds are commonly eaten by birds and squirrels. Pines are commercially among the most important of species used for timber and wood pulp in temperate and tropical regions of the world.
This is because they are fast-growing softwoods that can be planted in relatively dense stands, and because their acidic decaying needles may inhibit the growth of other competing plants in the cropping areas. The resin of some species is important as the source of turpentine. Some species have large seeds, called pine nuts, that are harvested and sold for cooking and baking. Some pines are used for Christmas trees, and pine cones are also widely used for Christmas decorations. Pines are well-known survival food plants. The soft, moist, white inner bark, or cambium, found clinging to the dead, woody outer bark is edible and very high in vitamins A and C. It can be eaten in slices raw as a snack or dried and ground up into a powder for use as a thickener/flavoring in stews, soups, and other foods. The bunches of young green cones found at the ends of branches make a healthy hiking snack. A tea made by steeping young, green pine needles in boiling water (known as "strunt" in Sweden) is high in vitamins A and C. |
