Pinus nigra


Pinus nigra, the Austrian pine or black pine, is a moderately variable species of pine, occurring across southern Mediterranean Europe from Spain to the eastern Mediterranean, on the Anatolian peninsula of Turkey on Corsica and Cyprus as well as Crimea and in the high mountains of the Maghreb in North Africa.

Distribution

Pinus nigra is a tree of the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome.
The majority of the range is in Turkey. It is found in the higher elevations of the South Apennine mixed montane forests ecoregion in southern Italy and the Tyrrhenian-Adriatic sclerophyllous and mixed forests ecoregion in Sicily. There are remnant populations in the Mediterranean conifer and mixed forests ecoregion, and in the higher Atlas Mountains in Morocco and Algeria.
It is found at elevations ranging from sea level to, most commonly from. Several of the varieties have distinct English names.
It has naturalized in parts of the midwestern states of the U.S, normally south of the normal native ranges of native pines.

Description

Pinus nigra is a large coniferous evergreen tree, growing to high at maturity and spreading to 20 to 40 feet wide. The bark is grey to yellow-brown, and is widely split by flaking fissures into scaly plates, becoming increasingly fissured with age. The leaves are thinner and more flexible in western populations.
The ovulate and pollen cones appear from May to June. The mature seed cones are 5–10 cm long, with rounded scales; they ripen from green to pale grey-buff or yellow-buff in September to November, about 18 months after pollination. The seeds are dark grey, 6–8 mm long, with a yellow-buff wing 20–25 mm long; they are wind-dispersed when the cones open from December to April. maturity is reached at 15–40 years; large seed crops are produced at 2–5 year intervals.
Pinus nigra is moderately fast growing, at about per year. It usually has a rounded conic form, that becomes irregular with age. The tree can be long-lived, with some trees over 500 years old. It needs full sun to grow well, is intolerant of shade, and is resistant to snow and ice damage.

Taxonomy

The species is divided into two subspecies, each further subdivided into three varieties. Some authorities treat several of the varieties at subspecific rank, but this reflects tradition rather than sound taxonomy, as the distinctions between the taxa are small.
;Subspecies
In Mediterranean Europe and the Anatolian Peninsula, trees usually associated with this species include Scots pine, Serbian spruce, Bosnian pine, Norway spruce, Taurus cedar, European silver fir and related firs. Several species of juniper, and various broadleaf trees are associates.
;Climate and provenance
Pinus nigra is a light-demanding species, intolerant of shade but resistant to wind and drought.
The eastern P. nigra subsp. nigra exhibits greater winter frost hardiness than the western P. nigra subsp. salzmannii.
Different provenances or varieties are adapted to different soil types: Austrian and Pyrenees origins grow well on a wide range of soil types, Corsican origins grows poorly on limestone, while Turkish and Crimean origins grow well on limestone. Most provenances also show good growth on podzolic soils.

Uses

Lumber

The timber of European black pine is similar to that of Scots pine and red pine, being moderately hard and straight-grained. It does however tend to be rougher, softer, and not as strong, due to its faster growth. It is used for general construction, fuel, and in paper manufacture.
In the United Kingdom, Pinus nigra is important both as a timber tree and in plantations. Recently however, serious problems have occurred with red band needle blight disease, caused by the fungus Dothistroma septosporum, resulting in a major recent decline in forestry planting there. In the United States it is of low importance as a timber species.
In regard to Austrian pine, the fungus Dothistroma septosporum is widespread and rapidly spreading out of control throughout the United States. All now growing Austrian pine are expected to be killed by this disease. It is out of control and not recommended for landscaping, especially in groups or rows.

Ethnobotanical and ethnomedicinal usage

In Turkey, this pine was and is used in various ways, both topically and internally, as well as for construction and for livestock. Among its uses are curing acne, common cold, osteomyelitis, and viral infections; acting as an oral antiseptic; treating cracked hands and feet in the winter; and sealing wooden roofs.

Ornamental usage

In the US and Canada, the European black pine is planted as a street tree, and as an ornamental tree in gardens and parks. Its value as a street tree is largely due to its resistance to salt spray and various industrial pollutants, and its intermediate drought tolerance. In the UK the tree is planted as an ornamental tree in parks and gardens. It is planted with great success as far north as Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
In both the US and UK most of the specimens planted are from Austrian sources, the Pinus nigra subsp. nigra and Pinus nigra subsp. nigra var. nigra seed selections. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, when demand for natural trees was extremely high, its rapid growth, deep green color and low cost made it briefly a popular Christmas tree, but the extreme length of the needles soon led to its fall from favor, and it has long since been abandoned in the US for that purpose.
P. nigra is planted for windbreaks and shelterbelts in the US, recommended for windbreaks in the Northern Great Plains on medium to deep moist or upland soils.

Invasive species

Pinus nigra has become naturalised in a few areas of the United States. In New Zealand it is considered an invasive species and noxious weed, along with lodgepole pine and Scots pine, due to their habitat conversion nature in tussock grassland plant communities, shading out the native bunch grasses as their forest canopy develops.