Japanese Red Pine

''Pinus densiflora'', also called the Japanese red pine, the Japanese pine, or Korean red pine, is a species of pine tree native to East Asia and Siberia. In China, the plant is known as 赤松 (pinyin: chì sōng, literally "red pine").

Distribution and habitat

''P. densiflora'' has a home range that includes Japan, the Korean Peninsula, northeastern China (Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Shandong and northeastern Jiangsu) and the extreme southeast of Russia (in Siberia, southern Primorsky Krai).

Description

The leaves are needle-like, long, with two per fascicle. The short leaves are 5–6 cm. There are stomatal lines on both sides of the leaf, two vascular bundles, about three to nine resin canals, and fine serrations on the edge of the leaf. Branchlets with more or less white powder. Male cones are light reddish yellow, clustered in the lower part of new branches, female cones are light reddish purple, solitary or clustered in two to three clusters. The cones are dark brown yellow or light brown yellow when mature, they dehiscent at maturity, seed scales usually thin, seed winged. The bark is orange-red, cracked into irregular scale-like pieces. Heartwood reddish brown, sapwood light reddish yellow. The height of the tree is . The crown can reach .

"The distribution of ''P. densiflora'' in China has the following pattern of variation: the more northward it is distributed, the needles are relatively shorter, the white powder on the branchlets is sometimes less obvious or partly obvious, and the color of the cones is lighter. It is light brown yellow".

The cones are long. It is closely related to Scots pine, differing in the longer, slenderer leaves which are mid-green without the glaucous-blue tone of Scots pine. This pine has become a popular ornamental and has several cultivars, but in the winter it becomes yellowish. The plant prefers full sun on well-drained, slightly acidic soil.

Uses

Strong wind resistance, ''P. densiflora'' is an excellent tree species for afforestation in stony mountains, barren soil and sandy land. The timber can be used for construction, electric poles, sleepers, ore pillars, furniture, and wood fiber industrial raw materials. The trunk is rich in resin, from which rosin and turpentine can be extracted. Essential oil can be extracted from the leaves. In northeast China, matsutake relies on ''P. densiflora'' for growth. "Jilin Tianfozhishan National Nature Reserve/Jilin Tianfozhishan National Nature Reserve" takes ''Matsutake'', ''P. densiflora'' and ecosystem as the main protection objects. ''P. densiflora'' wood has natural anti-corrosion and anti-mildew properties, and natural preservatives and natural wood anti-mold agents can be extracted. ''P. densiflora'' has non-stinging needles and soft branches, making it easy to shape as a penjing.

Gallery

Image:Matsu01.jpg, Planted in a Japanese park
Image:Cultivated Aleppo Pine in Huntington.jpg, Cultivated Japanese Red Pine 'Pendula' in Huntington Library's Japanese Garden
Image:Japanese Red Pine (Japanese garden).JPG, Planted in Japanese garden
Image:Pinus densiflora Umbraculifera.jpg, Var. "Umbraculifera'
"Tanyosho pine"
Image:Tanyosho pines NYBG jeh.jpg, Planted in New York Botanical Garden
Image:CL-33 Pinus densiflora range map.png, Pinus densiflora range map

References

Further reading

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densiflora
Plants described in 1842
Taxa named by Joseph Gerhard Zuccarini
Taxa named by Philipp Franz von Siebold
Trees of China
Trees of Japan
Trees of Korea
Trees of Russia