on the world map, find the town of Vilaflor there.
One of the routes passes through it National Park to the volcano itself. Vilaflor is considered the highest mountain settlement not only in the Canaries, but throughout Spain and is located at an altitude of one thousand four hundred meters above sea level. The town was founded in the sixteenth century and is famous for its clean air and water.
There is healing clean air here not only because it is highlands, but also because there are pine trees all around, amazing trees world - Canarian pines with unusually long needles. The local forest area is the largest in the Canary Islands. On the outskirts of Vilaflor you can admire and take photos with one of the island's two most unique pine trees: Pino Gordo. In terms of height, the pine tree is comparable to a multi-story building (height 46 m, trunk in circumference 11.4 m), and only eight adults holding hands can grasp it. From the observation deck (mirador) near the Pino Gordo pine, a beautiful view opens up and from here you can go to the next, very famous attraction in Tenerife -.
Good afternoon, dear readers! Let's take a little break from the holidays and useful information and we will tell you about the features of the island of Tenerife. Here you can find many things that you cannot find anywhere else. Starting from the unique Canarian flavor and ending with rare endemic plants found only on the Canary Islands. We will return to the color and the Spaniards later, but now let’s talk about the pine forests of Tenerife, how they differ from ordinary ones and why the Canarians protect them so much.
Pine, Canary pine
Arriving in Tenerife, on one of the first days on the island, we went on a picnic. We wrote about this in more detail in. In addition to the picnic areas, which were cleverly designed and made for people, I was struck by the forest. There is no dense undergrowth, the ground is covered with a soft layer of pine needles, the pines are all straight, tall, similar to spruce.
Can you imagine a tree growing from a stone? You can see this here. Canary pines(lat. Pinus canariensis) can take root on volcanic lava and at the same time feel great - this is one of their features.
As mentioned above, the Canarian pine is considered endemic. You have already encountered this concept in previous articles and will see it more than once in new ones. It means that the plant has a limited growing area. For Canarian pine these are the islands,. Only here, at altitudes of 1200–2000 meters above sea level, are there ideal conditions for the growth of this type of tree.
The forest gave me a feeling of peace and comfort; in this feeling all my sorrows disappeared, the unpleasant were forgotten... Maxim Gorky
The features of Canarian pines do not end there: they are incredibly drought-resistant, the wood is fire-resistant, very strong, and the trees are easily restored after fires. All these qualities make Canarian pine valuable building material, but cutting it down has long been prohibited and is punishable by a large fine or even a prison term. Why is everything so serious?
The answer lies in one more thing unique property trees: moisture condensation. Canarian pine has very long needles (up to 30 cm) and moisture from the clouds condenses on these needles. The trees then release moisture through their root systems and moisten the soil for themselves and other plants.
But the point is not so much in moistening the soil, but in the fact that the water accumulating in the soil flows through underground channels into natural and artificially created reservoirs. This is how Canary pines create the only source on the island fresh water(except for rain), and the locals call them the island’s watermen.
Tallest in the world
Typically the Canarian pine tree reaches up to 35 meters in height, but Tenerife is a unique island and boasts a unique pine tree! Its height is about 60 meters, the thickness at the base of the trunk is about three meters and it is rightfully considered the tallest Canary pine in the world.
The Canarians made it another attraction and equipped an observation deck near the pine tree. There we met enterprising sellers of souvenirs, however, not very cheap ones.
For entertainment near the largest Canary pine - a photo of the whole family hugging the tree trunk. There is also a small hollow at the base of the trunk, into which the bravest can stick their hand. There is even some belief that you need to make a wish, put a coin there and it will definitely come true - it’s almost like throwing a coin into a fountain.
It’s not worth planning a separate excursion for the big pine tree, but if you’re by car, you can plan a stop near it during your visit. By the way, you can “skip” it and not notice it if you are not careful, so at the entrance, look for the big one among the forest, it will be on the right side if you drive from the village of Vilaflor along the TF-21 highway towards Teide ().
There are so many amazing things Tenerife has to offer! We recommend that you definitely go on a picnic and breathe crystal clean air and see with your own eyes how Canary pines differ from the ordinary ones that are more familiar to us.
Come visit, write comments and share your impressions of your vacation!
¡Adios, amigos!
(Pinus canariensis) is a species of tree from the Pine family (Pinaceae). It grows naturally on the west coast of Africa. It is endemic to the Canary Islands, where it forms a huge belt coniferous forests, which grow on the leeward side of the islands of La Palma, Tenerife, Hierro, and Gran Canaria. It can take root and grow on volcanic lava, and is also particularly durable. It grows back from the roots after a tree has been cut down or burned. The growth rate is average.
It is a medium-sized tree up to 25-35 m in height. The tallest pine tree grows on the island. Tenerife, its height reaches 60 m and 3 m in diameter at the base. In its youth, Canary Pine has a pyramidal or narrow-conical crown shape and is wider in maturity. The shoots are thick, 7-15 mm thick, yellow- Brown. Root system deep, well branched.
Trunk erect, branched with reddish-brownish, fissured, scaly, very thick bark, which peels off in separate plates.
Needles bluish in color in young trees and shiny green in more mature ones, up to 30 cm in length, collected in bunches of 3 needles, up to 1 mm thick, sometimes drooping, with small teeth along the ribs. Moisture accumulates at the tips of the needles, thanks to which nearby plants do not suffer from drought. The needles remain on the tree for 1-3 years.
Monoecious plant. Male flowers are yellowish-orange.
Cones greenish-red in color when young, brown when mature, arranged singly, rarely in twos, broadly ovoid in shape, 9-20x9-12 cm, brown in color. The scutes are rhombic, their width exceeds their height, the surface is more or less flat. Inside the cones are obovate winged seeds, 12-25 mm in length. The wing is difficult to separate from the seeds.
Frost resistance zone 9. Drought resistant.
Location: Sunny open areas are required. Prefers deep, well-drained soil. On chalk soils it is affected by chlorosis. It is recommended to grow in areas with mild climates or as a pot plant. It can grow on volcanic lava, in valleys, mountains and coasts.
Landing: the depth of the planting hole is 0.8-1 m. The root collar must be placed at ground level. Tolerates transplantation well.
Care: needs moderate watering and sanitary pruning. Demanding on air humidity.
Reproduction: reproduces using seeds sown in the ground in early spring. Seeds must be pre-stratified for a month.
Usage: very decorative. Used in forest plantations, parks, and also as a tapeworm. Wood is used in construction and for making a variety of crafts.
Longleaf pines. The most beautiful varieties. Growing.
More than a hundred names of trees that make up the pine genus are distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere. In addition, some types of pine can be found in the mountains a little to the south and even in tropical zone, for example, Canary pine. The division is mainly based on the territorial affiliation of the area, although many species of pine plants are artificially bred and, as a rule, are named after the breeder.
Why are plants with long needles of particular interest? The main answer is their peculiarity, originality. Almost all owners of long needles are overseas guests. The habitat of many is the Himalayas, North America, the Balkans, and Guatemala.
My first successful encounter with longleaf pine, which turned into a “true friendship,” occurred in 2013 with Armanda pine Pinus armandi
i.
Our company “Ekomalina” has been successfully growing it for more than 4 years, despite all the warnings about poor winter hardiness. Having easily withstood last year's frosts in western Ukraine (-22C), all doubts about the reproduction of white pine were dispelled. White pine Armanda Pinus armandii belongs to cedar pines, produces a tasty large nut, but main feature I believe, however, that its needles are much larger than other cedars - European, Siberian and Korean pines. Moreover, in a sunny place, its openwork needles acquire a blue tint. It's hard to stop yourself from touching the needles when you look at this tree. Armanda pine seedlings are available in the catalogs of the Ekomalina company.
25 grams contain about 100 Armanda pine seeds. Seeds require 3-5 months of stratification.
In this photo you can compare the needles and the very height of 2 summer seedlings - on the left is Armanda cedar pine, on the right is Korean cedar pine.
The more famous longleaf pine is for gardeners eastern pine Pinus strobus
— for convenient formulation, the taxon was called Weymouth pine. In 1705, Lord Weymouth brought this pine from America and planted it on his estate. It grows naturally in the eastern part of North America, the Southeast provinces of Canada, as well as on the French islands of Miquelon and Saint-Pierre.
Weymouth pine, I think, is the most acclimatized pine for our zone, adapted to the urban environment and popular in private gardening. Many specimens can be found in arboretums of Ukraine - in Transcarpathian, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Kyiv regions.
Germination of eastern pine seeds is usually not difficult and is at the 80% germination level.
There are about 1 thousand pieces in 25 grams. eastern pine seeds. The seeds do not require stratification - just soak them in water for up to 24 hours.
Since 2015, I have set my mind to the idea of growing long-leafed species of pines originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is in these latitudes that some of the most unique pines grow - Gerarda, Xahian, Roxburgh, weeping and, of course, Himalayan.
The southern slopes of the Himalayas are exposed to seasonal winds - the monsoons. In summer there is heavy precipitation - in the eastern part up to 4 m, in the western part - up to 1 m of precipitation per year. In turn, the northern slopes are within the scope of continental climate, cold and dry.
High in the mountains, frosts in summer exceed −25 °C, and in winter the temperature drops to −40 °C. Hurricane-force winds of up to 150 km/h and sudden weather changes are also common here. Most of the above pines grow at an altitude of 2-5 thousand meters - the beginning of the snow line, which means that the plants should grow here too, having undergone temporary acclimatization.
Our first successful experiment was Himalayan pine Pinus wallichiana
The needles of the Himalayan pine are unusually long, reaching about 20 cm in length and growing in bunches of five silver-blue needles. The branches, like the needles, are long and flexible, gracefully falling down. A very rare, expensive and valuable tree. Already at one year of age, this plant looks very impressive. The main success of growing this pine was its ability to withstand frost; from the first year of its life it grows without shelter! Himalayan pine seeds are large, have good germination, seedlings grow quickly and are rarely affected by pests.
There are about 425 Himalayan pine seeds in 25 grams. Germination rate is about 90%, it is not difficult to germinate. Do not deepen the seeds!
Khasi pine Pinus kesiya
growing area China (Yunnan), India (Meghalaya) - tall tree with long needles, easy to shape in the bansai style. Withstands temperatures down to about -20C. This pine is generally new on the plant market in Ukraine; Ekomalina is the only company with such an offer. I think that in the near future we will be able to present you not only seeds, but also the seedlings themselves.
In 25 grams of Xakhian pine seeds there are 1400 pieces. Germination - 80%.
Longleaf Roxburgh pine Pinus roxburghii
– this is a dream tree. Already at 2 weeks of age the needles are long more height plant trunk. Looks amazing. Many scientists consider this pine to be one of the most beautiful coniferous trees peace.
The photo shows the length of the Roxburgh pine root
This is a luxurious tree - the openwork and wide base of the crown are provided by horizontal spreading branches, and the optical tendency of the tree upward is provided by the upper raised branches and bare young shoots. Thanks to the long (20-30 cm), thin and sharp needles, collected in bunches of 3, the pine tree looks very lush and attractive. And the unusual soft green color of its needles gives it a special decorative effect. You need to grow this pine on your own plot for its healing properties. The seeds are large, edible, have good germination and cultivation techniques are similar to those of eastern Gerard pine. The plant has vigorous growth. I recommend germinating seeds in a peat mixture (4-5 days) before spitting or in a Jiffy Forestry peat tablet for forest crops; it has a long tap root, so replanting with an open root can be disastrous.
25 grams contain 225 Roxburgh pine seeds. The agricultural technology of germination is complex - compliance is important temperature regime and soil moisture.
The photo shows a 3-week-old seedling, the taproot is more than 15 cm.
In this photo you can compare the length of the needles of a Gerard pine (left) and a Roxburgh pine (right) at the age of 3 weeks
Drooping pine Pinus patula
You can create a unique coniferous garden with the Drooping Pine. The amazing long needles of this tree distinguish it from other pines. The plant is suitable for forming a small tree, bonsai. Can be used as an accent in the garden. Refers to ungrafted plants that have a weeping shape.
Needles more than 15 cm long have a yellowish tint. Just like Himalayan pine, it is suitable for growing conditions in our climate zone with proper agricultural technology. The seeds are not large, the germination rate is about 80%, they germinate easily. Do not deepen the seeds or sow them in acidic, drained peat with the addition of granular, long-acting fertilizers. In the fall of 2018, the Ekomalina company will present an annual seedling to the attention of buyers.
25 grams contain 1400 drooping pine seeds.
This is how the seed opens. 3rd week for seedling.
Gerard pine Pinus gerardiana
most worthy of attention because of the healthy and tasty nut - chilgoza.
The scientific name is given in memory of Captain Patrick Gerard (a British officer who served in India). Known in Europe since 1839. A plant from the northwestern Himalayas, in the wild it is distributed in the mountains at an altitude of more than 3 thousand meters.
This is what a 3 week old Gerard pine seedling looks like
Gerard pine often branches from the base. This makes it very special and stands out among pine trees of no small size. Easy to shape. The bark is smooth with numerous light green, yellowish and gray spots, peels off in shaped plates, revealing a new greenish layer, making the tree trunk appear mosaic. The needles are 3 in a bunch, light green, dense. The length of its needles reaches 10 cm. The seeds are quite large, have specific storage requirements, and quickly lose their germination capacity if stored improperly. You only need to sow freshly harvested nuts (this is around November - December) if possible and if heated greenhouses are available. You can store until spring in the refrigerator in polyethylene without perlite or other substrate on the bottom shelf for vegetables. The percentage of seed germination is at least 70%. I advise you to sow in a pot or peat tablet - the roots are powerful and fragile. When transplanting, the tree is severely injured and can easily die. The Ekomalina company offers seedlings and seeds of Gerard pine.
25 grams contain 70 Gerard pine seeds.
The photo shows seed germination in a peat tablet.
Bottom view of peat tablets - roots are visible.
Swamp pine Pinus palustris
- a massive tree that grows up to 47 m in height and has a trunk diameter of up to 1.2 m. Distinctive features of the species are yellow-green needles, the length of which can reach 45 cm, and exceptional fire resistance of the wood. Longleaf pine is native to southeastern North America, from Virginia and North Carolina to Louisiana and Texas.
The photo shows a swamp pine. You have never seen anything like this before - swamp pine is an annual seedling.
This photo shows the needles of an adult plant. As you can see it is very long.
This is what a 3 week old swamp pine seedling looks like.
Montezuma pine Pinus montezumae
grows up to 30 m in height and has long (up to 30 cm) grayish-green needles, collected in bunches of 5 pieces. The tree received its name in honor of the last Aztec leader, Montezuma, who decorated his headdress with the needles of this pine tree. White pine grows in western North America and Guatemala. In many countries with temperate climate grown as an ornamental plant and also for collecting edible nuts.
In Ukraine it grows in the Crimea, in nature it grows in Guatemala and Mexico at an altitude of 3500 meters above sea level, struggling with the elements and adversity. It can really grow here (in the west) In the following code you can see this pine in the Ecomalina catalog "
In this photo you can appreciate the lushness of the Montezuma pine
Pinus pinea - a very beautiful tall tree with a dark green, compact crown, which with age takes the shape of an umbrella due to outstretched branches. Pine needles are long (up to 15 cm), elegant, dense, with a slight bluish tint. Pine has almost round large cones up to 15 cm long. Pine seeds are 4 times larger than pine nuts; up to 8 tons of nuts are obtained from 1 hectare. The famous pesto sauce is prepared from crushed pine seeds, called pinoli in Italy. Due to its exceptionally beautiful crown shape, pine pine is a valuable ornamental plant, actively used in the art of bonsai. In its natural environment, pine grows along the coast Mediterranean Sea, from the Iberian Peninsula to Asia Minor. Cultivated in Crimea and the Caucasus.
This photo shows a 3 week old pine pine seedling.
Canary pine (Pinus canariensis)
– a species of trees from the Pine family (Pinaceae). It grows naturally on the west coast of Africa. It is endemic to the Canary Islands, where it forms a huge belt of coniferous forests that grow on the leeward side of the islands of La Palma, Tenerife, Hierro, and Gran Canaria. The needles are bluish in color in young trees and shiny green in more mature ones, up to 30 cm in length, collected in bunches of 3 needles, up to 1 mm thick, sometimes drooping, with small teeth along the ribs. Moisture accumulates at the tips of the needles, thanks to which nearby plants do not suffer from drought. The needles remain on the tree for 1-3 years.
On the northern shores at an altitude of 1200 m, pine groves grow in a dry Mediterranean climate. The Teide volcano (3718 m) and its stunning flora make up one of the most beautiful landscapes in the Canary Islands - national park Teide (Parque Nacional del Teide). Here, on the solidified lava, the Canary pine (Pinus canariensis) feels good - endemic to the Canary Islands, where at altitudes of 1200-2000 meters above sea level it forms a belt of coniferous forests located on the leeward side of the island of Tenerife. Canary pine reaches about 25-35 meters in height, it has an erect, branched trunk with yellowish bark, the crown is often pyramidal in shape, making it look like a spruce.
The bluish needles of young trees and shiny green needles of adults - the Canarian differs from all other pines in the world in the exceptional length of its needles (Spanish: pinocho, pinocha, pinillo, base), which can reach 30 centimeters, and in the fact that not two, but three needles.
This pine has not only adapted to life on anhydrous volcanic lava, in addition, it easily recovers from fires that are destructive to all other vegetation. It happens that only a charred trunk remains of a tree, but soon the first green shoots will appear on it, and after a few years there will be little that will remind you of the raging fire. Their wood is very strong and fire-resistant, so it is a valuable construction and ornamental material.
The largest Canary pine in the world (Pino Gordo) is located on the island of Tenerife, its height is 45.12 meters, its trunk circumference is 9.36 meters and its thickness is 2.66 meters.
Unique Canary Pines:
Tenerife: Pino Gordo (Vilaflor), El Pino Derrengado (Arico), Pino de Buen Paso (Icod de los Vinos).
La Palma: Pino de la Virgen (El Paso).
Gran Canaria: Pino de la Bruja Casandra (Tejeda).
Yunnan pine Pinus yunnanensis
You can also purchase seeds of this pine from us. The Ekomalina company will kindly provide them.
Beautiful. Lush tree. Not large.
An evergreen coniferous tree is not large, usually conical with a flat crown.
Yunnan pine – needles 34 cm long
Frost-resistant down to -32C
The bark is red and thin, flaky. The trunk at the base is brown, grooved and divided into thick plates. The leaves (needles) are bright green, thin and drooping, 3 in a bunch, occasionally 2, 20-30 cm long. The cones are about 9 cm long, red-brown, usually in groups of 3, and persist for some time.
Elliott pine Pinus elliottii
You will also find seeds of this pine in our catalogs.
Elliott pine, or Swamp pine (Pinus elliottii)
Tall tree, trunk straight or curved. The crown is conical, spherical or even. The bark is orange or purple-brown, with intersecting grooves forming irregularly shaped scaly plates. The branches are spreading or directed upward; the branches are strong, up to 1 cm thick, orange-brown, darken and become coarser with age.
The buds are cylindrical, silvery-brown, 1.5-2 cm long; the edges of the scales are fringed.
Leaves (needles) are collected 2-3 in a bunch, diverge to the sides or upwards, remain on the tree for about 2 years, 15-25 cm long and 1.2-1.5 mm thick, straight or slightly sinuous, flexible, yellow-colored or blue-green, stomatal lines are visible on all surfaces. The edges of the needles are finely toothed; the apex is sharply pointed.
Well, let’s finish our story today, known to many from the catalog of the website of the company “Ekomalina” - yellow pine (Oregon or panderosa) Pinus ponderosa , the needles of which reach 25 cm in length. The habitat of this pine is western North America to southern British Columbia. Currently, it is a real symbol of the state of Montana, in the northwestern United States.
A large, majestic tree, fast-growing, with an openwork cone-shaped shape. Already a 2-year-old seedling can reach up to 0.7 m in height.
Pine of this type is used mainly in single plantings for
landscaping country houses and parks. The tree is quite large, so this should be taken into account when planting on the site. Our company "Ekomalina" already offers 2-year-old seedlings about 50 cm high as an alternative to regular pine for creating natural-style landscapes on larger areas.
Yellow pine seeds are medium-sized, germination rate is about 80%, seed germination usually does not require special agricultural techniques.
The other day I was lucky enough to receive pine seeds Martinez Pinus maximartinezii from Andrey from the Netherlands. The seeds of this cedar pine are quite large, larger than the Armanda and Korean pine, and 3 times thicker than the seeds of the Gerard pine. The Martinez cone is large - from 15 to 30 cm long, and the seeds themselves are 20-35 mm. Depending on the place of growth, the color of the needles changes from dark green to bright blue. Therefore, in some foreign articles the tree is called “Blue Pine.” The height of the tree is wildlife up to 15m. Currently I soak them and prepare them for sowing in a tablet.
I received interesting information when I opened the Internet in search of information about this pine tree! Moreover, everything was surprising - from the cost of seeds to the population. It turns out that the total approximate number of Martinez pine around the world is only up to 10 thousand trees! For example, in the state of Secatecas in Mexico on an area of 400 hectares. the number of adult individuals is only 2-2.5 thousand, located at an altitude of 1660 to 2500 m above sea level, mainly on volcanic soils.
The main localization of pine is Mexico: Durango and Zacatecas in the Sierra de Morones mountains. It was Zacatecas (in the wilds) that became the site of the discovery of this pine in 1964 by a Mexican scientist who accidentally saw the seeds at the local market - they were sold as nuts.
Currently, the seeds are not used for food, they are successfully sold all over the world for population and renewal - the cost of one seed is from 0.7 euros, a seedling of 1 m height is 450 euros. Pine is under extinction and natural protection in Mexico, each seedling is protected not only from fires but also deforestation. Locals make good money by collecting nuts, thereby interfering with the natural restoration of the species. Attempts have been made to artificially breed this pine, however positive result this did not work. There are few nurseries and even botanical gardens in the world that have at least 1 specimen of Pinus maximartinezii.
This species attracts a lot of attention in last years due to its limited natural distribution. Habitat zones 9 and 10. We can use it as a tub and greenhouse plant.
I forgot to say on the topic of the article - the length of the needles is up to 25cm! It is blue in color, especially at an early age! It would be ideal for growing bonsai due to its small size.
It is of interest to collectors as a rare decorative cedar pine with the largest nuts.
Currently, some companies are trying to distribute Martinez seeds via the Internet, however, given the high cost of delivery from Mexico and the cost of the seeds themselves, and the lack of information on its germination, there are no real seedlings of this pine in European nurseries.
Currently, my company “Ecomalina” has made an attempt to change the situation - we placed 6 potential nuts in a 50mm Jiffy Forestry peat tablet after soaking it in water for 2 days. The tablets were moved to the vegetation and seed germination system. Estimated waiting time is 30 days.
According to the structure of the skin of Martinez seeds, there is some similarity with Armanda pine seeds. I have been working with Armanda for more than 5 years, successfully germinating seeds. Martinez seeds also have a rather thick skin, which may also need stratification. Therefore, taking into account the 9th and 10th zones of natural growth (+1 C is the lowest short-term temperature), the absence of negative temperatures does not bring the desired results in the natural awakening of seeds.
pine seeds in the photo
3 year old Martinez pine
in the photo on the left are Gerard's pine seeds, on the right is Martinez's. These pines are the most expensive cedars in the world!
Cedar pine seeds and peat tablet Jiffy Forestry 50mm
For general interest, I am posting a photo with a table of the most popular pine nuts that are used as food.
A = P. armandii / Armand pine / Hua shan song 华山松｜
K = P. koraiensis / Korean pine / Chinese Red Pine / hong song 红松 |
S = P. sibirica / Siberian stone pine / Siberian Cedar / xiboliya hongsong 西伯利亚红松 |
P = P. pinea / Mediterranean stone pine |
G = P. gerardiana / Chilghoza pine |
M = P. massoniana / Masson’s pine / ma wei song 马尾松 |
U1 = P. yunnanensis
In the photo I am in the places where the mountain pine Pinus mugo grows, which is called “Zherep” in the west in the Hutsul region.
Varenitsa Alexander Sergeevich
Company "Ekomalina"
January 14, 2018
