Pine family, Pinaceae
Origin: the west of North America
Habitat in the original area: coastal sand dunes, rocks, marshes
Habitus: A tree growing to the height of 10–25 metres, its crown is conical, irregular. The bark is scaly and brown. The shoots are glabrous, frosted blue. Older twigs are yellow-brown in colour, and they are noticeably twisted.
List: The buds are covered with resin. The needles, about 4 centimetres long, are connected in a bundle of two. They are light green in colour and are twisted along the axis. Their edge is smooth or only slightly serrated.
Bloom, fruit: Mature cones are ovoid and twisted. They grow together, sitting on a twig. On the surface they are light brown and have small, backward-bent growths. The second year the cone opens and tiny winged seeds are released.
Interesting fact: It is one of the cultivated pines which are the most resistant to air pollution. It can have two types of cones, some open immediately after ripening, others can remain closed for several years until a fire activates them.
