Shape | Upright shape, typically having a rounded crown. |
Landscape | Used in reforestation and conservation programmes and in recent years commercial plantations.
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Propagation | Propagated exclusively through seed. It does not produce cones until 30 years old where it then takes 2 years to mature and drop its seed. For best chance at germination, broken and washed mineral soil is recommended. Production for nursery seedling takes 10 - 12 months. Where in the last 3 months preconditioning shades are removed thus exposing seedlings to direct sunlight to prepare them for final field planting.
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Cultivation | Sandy soils with excellent drainage. It prefers full sun once properly established. Moderately acidic soils are preferred (pH 5- 6.8) with an average temperature of 14°C.
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Pests | Younger trees are susceptible to shoot moths. Mature trees can be susceptible to colonization by southwestern dwarf mistletoe. Bark beetles may also be an issue.
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Habitat | High and dry mountain areas. Usually found in slightly acidic sandy loam, or rocky soils with excellent drainage.
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Bark/Stem Description | When mature it develops deep splits and cracks (furrows) creating a narrow platy look. Very thick bark to almost 4 cm.
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Flower/Leaf Bud Description | Oval or cone-shaped growing up to 2 cm long with fringed scales on sides. |
Leaf Description | The needles are one of the longest of the pines, growing up to 25 - 45 cm long and 2 mm thick with coarsely saw-like margins. They are often drooping, originating at branch tips. Found in fascicles of 3 - 5 needles that are held in a persistent sheath 3 - 4 cm long.
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Flower Description | Male flowers are a cylindrical shape measuring about 2 cm long. The female flowers are smaller than the male flowers.
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Fruit Description | The sessile cones are oval in shape. They are about 13 - 18 cm long growing in pairs or whirls of 3 -5 cones. The cone scales are tipped with small prickles. Seeds are about 8 - 9 mm long with a wing about 20 mm long.
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Colour Description | The leaves are a dull green colour. Male flowers are yellowish-purple in colour, while the females have a reddish tinge. Sessiles that are a dull brown colour. The pollen cones are yellow. Young bark is dark brown in colour and as it matures the bark lightens in into a yellow tinge around the ridges. |
Texture Description | When young the bark is quite smooth, as it matures it develops deep furrows creating a narrow plate like patterns. The depth of these splits and cracks makes for a very coarse texture.
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