The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

limber pine

Scots pine

Habit Trees to 20 m tall; mature crown conic to rounded. Trees to 40 m tall; mature crown conic to flattened.
Buds

ovoid; reddish brown, resinous.

ovoid; reddish brown, resinous.

Leaves

in clusters of 5, upcurved, 3–6 cm × 1–1.5 mm, dark green;

margins entire to finely serrulate;

abaxial surfaces with faint stomatal bands;

adaxial surfaces with obvious stomatal bands;

apex acute;

sheaths deciduous.

in clusters of 2; straight to slightly curved, twisted, 3–6 cm × 1.5–2 mm; bluish green to yellow-green;

margins entire to finely serrulate; all surfaces with stomatal lines;

apex acute;

sheaths deciduous.

Pollen cones

ellipsoid-cylindrical, 1.2–1.6 cm long, red or yellow.

ovoid, 5–10 mm long, yellow to pink.

Seeds

oval, compressed, 6–12 mm long, brown to reddish brown, sometimes with spots; wingless or nearly so.

obovoid, 3–5 mm long, gray to black;

wings 3 times as long as body.

Trunks

to 2 m in diameter; straight, sometimes contorted;

bark gray; smooth, becoming ridged with rectangular scaly plates with age;

branches horizontal to ascending, usually persistent to base;

twigs reddish brown and pubescent when young, becoming gray with age; smooth or nearly so with some bud scars.

to 0.5 m in diameter, usually straight;

bark reddish brown to gray, furrowed, scaly;

branches horizontal to ascending;

twigs green to gray-brown, not glaucous, roughened by bud scars.

Seed cones

ovoid to ovoid-cylindrical, symmetric, 7–15 cm long, light brown; horizontal to pendent, sessile to less than 2 cm long, maturing in 2 years, opening at maturity;

umbos terminal; less than 2 mm;

prickles absent.

ovoid, nearly symmetric, 3–6 cm long, yellow-brown to gray-brown;

stalks less than 1 cm long, maturing in 2 years, opening at maturity;

umbos central; less than 3 mm;

prickles absent.

2n

=24.

Pinus flexilis

Pinus sylvestris

Distribution
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

High altitude montane forests. 1500–2500 m. BW. CA, ID, NV, WA; north to Alberta, east to NE, southeast to NM. Native.

In Oregon, Pinus flexilis is found only in the Wallowa Mountains. Morphologically, it is similar to P. albicaulis but is distinguished from the latter by its larger cones that open at maturity.

Various habitats, escaped from cultivation. 0–200 m. WV. Troughout North America; Europe. Exotic.

Pinus sylvestris is widely planted in North America for pulpwood and Christmas trees and has escaped cultivation in many states and provinces. This species is native to Europe.

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 121
Stephen Meyers
Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 124
Stephen Meyers
Sibling taxa
P. albicaulis, P. attenuata, P. attenuata x Pinus radiata, P. balfouriana, P. contorta, P. jeffreyi, P. lambertiana, P. monophylla, P. monticola, P. muricata, P. pinaster, P. ponderosa, P. sabiniana, P. sylvestris
P. albicaulis, P. attenuata, P. attenuata x Pinus radiata, P. balfouriana, P. contorta, P. flexilis, P. jeffreyi, P. lambertiana, P. monophylla, P. monticola, P. muricata, P. pinaster, P. ponderosa, P. sabiniana
Web links