Pinus sylvestris

Scots Pine

Physical Traits & Growth

Typical max. heightiMaximum height in typical conditions, in metres. Full data also shows maximum achievable height in exceptional conditions.:
40m 1
36m 5
35m 6
37m 7

Max. canopy widthiLikely maximum horizontal width of the canopy, in metres:
Conical crown, broadens with age 1
At least 8m 2
Conical when young, later open and flat-topped 3

Size of shadowiSize of shadow based on a fully grown tree, categorised as low, medium or high: Moderate (222 sqm)

Canopy densityiShading intensity of the canopy when in full leaf. Categorised from open to dense.: Dense 1

Leaf emergenceiTime of leaf emergence, categorised as very early, early, late, or evergreen: Evergreen 1

Growth rateiHow quickly the tree grows during establishment. Categorised as low, moderate or high, with very high used in exceptional cases.: Low 1

LongevityiExpected lifespan of the tree:
300+ years 2
250-400 years 8
Oldest UK example was 395 years 6

Management & Systems

Typical systemsiCommon agroforestry or silvicultural systems where this species is used:
Arable or pasture 1
Well suited to upland conditions 1, but timber production favoured in lowlands 3

Approach to silvicultureiCoppicing and pollarding ability: High forest tree

Establishment requirementsiCommon requirements to establish the tree:
Requires prolonged protection from herbivores, and good light levels 3
Fast-growing when young 6
Risk of poor growth in tubes 9

Management requirementsiCommon long-term management needs such as pruning. Categorised as low, moderate or high.:
None 1
Pruning is necessary to obtain clear timber 3

Pruning timeiOptimal season for pruning: Spring (late) 1

Scots Pine, Reading, UK / Tom Staton / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en

Products & Economy

Food productsiCommon food products such as fruits and nuts: –

Wood productsiCommon wood products, including timber, turnery, and pulp:
Timber 123 – diverse products 5
Max YC 14 4, average 8-11 2

BiomassiCommon biomass products such as fuelwood: –

Speciality productsiOther speciality and niche products: Resin 1, pine oil 5, Christmas trees 5

Time until market (food)iNumber of years until the tree produces food products: –

Time until market (timber)iNumber of years until the tree produces wood products: 50-60 year rotation 6 or up to 100 years 8

Ecology & Utility

Nutrient and organic matter accumulationiRough estimate of soil-improving properties, with larger and deeper-rooting trees predicted to have higher value. Categorised as low, moderate or high.: Low – deep roots but leaves relatively resistant to decomposition 6

Nitrogen fixationiNitrogen-fixing properties, categorised as yes or no: No

High carbon sequestrationiAll trees sequester carbon, but faster-growing, larger trees generally have higher sequestration potential.:
Short-term (20 years): Relatively low
Medium-term (40 years): Relatively low
Long-term (60 years): Moderate

Native status in the UKiCategorised as native, long-established, or recent introduction.: Native (in Scotland) 1

High wildlife valueiMost trees are likely to be of some value to wildlife, but some trees are of generally higher value to various wildlife groups:
Moderate 5
Highest value for mycorrhizal fungi 5

Other environmental impactsiOther impacts such as water consumption and nutrient leaching:
High water consumption 1
Leaf-drop can cause acidication of nearby streams and rivers 4, could have detrimental effect on water-borne pollution in dry areas 3

Pollinators

Flowering period (pollinator benefit)iTypical flowering months: May-Jun 1

High pollen and nectar value for pollinatorsiValue of flowers to pollinators: Low 1

Susceptibility & Risks

Risk of toxicity to livestockiReported potential toxicity to livestock, categorised as yes or no. Toxicity is complex and often context-specific.: None known

Risks to farming operationsiOther risks such as suckering roots, very large tree size, secondary host for aphids, and flammability:
Capable of becoming very large tree 2
Natural regeneration can become invasive if unmanaged 4
Flammable 7

Disease susceptibilityiSusceptibility of the tree (not tree products) to diseases, e.g. fungal and bacterial disease:
High
Susceptible to red band needle blight, root and butt rot, needle cast disease, pine stem rust 3
Resin top disease and red band needle blight 5
May be susceptible to honey fungus and needle cast diseases 6

Invertebrate pest susceptibilityiSusceptibility of the tree (not tree products) to invertebrate pests, e.g. aphids and other insects:
Moderate
Susceptible to pine tree lappet moth 3
May be susceptible to adelgids, conifer aphid, sawfly larvae, pine shoot moth 6

Vertebrate damage susceptibilityiSusceptibility of the tree (not tree products) to vertebrate pests, e.g. squirrels and deer:
Moderate to high
High sensitivity to browsing 7, moderate palatability 8