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Pinus contorta
| Common name: |
Beach Pine |
Family: |
Pinaceae |
| Author: |
Douglas. ex Loudon. |
Botanical references: |
11, 60, 200 |
| Synonyms: |
|
| Known Hazards: |
The wood, sawdust and resins from various species of pine can cause dermatitis in sensitive people[222]. |
| Range: |
Western N. America - Alaska to California. |
| Habitat: |
Coastal dunes and sphagnum covered bogs to montane dry or moist areas[60, 82]. Trees growing inland are much larger than those growing near the coast[60]. |
| Edibility Rating (1-5): |
3 | Medicinal Rating (1-5): | 2 |
| Other Possible Synonyms: | From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below. |
| P. contorta ssp. bolanderi[B,P]
P. contorta ssp. murrayana[B,P]
P. contorta subsp. murrayana[G]
P. contorta var. bolanderi[B,CPHOTO,CAL,CAL,P]
P. contorta var. murrayana[B,CPHOTO,CAL,CAL,G,L,P]
P. murrayana[B,G,P]
|
| Other Common Names: | From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below. |
| Bolander's Pine [P], Lodgepole Pine [DEN1,L,P,B,S], Murray Lodgepole Pine [P], Sierra Lodgepole Pine [L,FEIS], |
| Epithets: | From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets |
|
contorta = twisted
torta = twisted
|
| Systematics: | From a USDA Plants Database |
|
Order: Pinales. Pine family
|
| Other Range Info: |
From the Ethnobotany Database |
|
Canada(Kwakiutl)
Canada(Salish) Us(Flathead)
|
Physical Characteristics
An evergreen tree growing to 15m by 8m at a fast rate. It is hardy to zone 7. It is in leaf all year, in flower in May, and the seeds ripen from January to February. The flowers are monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and are pollinated by Wind.
The plant not is self-fertile.
We rate it 3/5 for edibility and
2/5 for medicinal use.
The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and can grow in nutritionally poor soil.
The plant prefers acid and neutral soils.
It cannot grow in the shade.
It requires dry moist or wet soil and can tolerate drought.
The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.
Habitats and Possible Locations
Bog Garden, Woodland, Canopy.Edible Uses
Condiment
Gum Inner bark Sap Seed.
Inner bark - raw or cooked[2, 94, 105, 161, 257]. It can be used fresh
or dried. It is mashed into a pulp and made into cakes then baked[94].
Harvested in early spring, the taste is not unpleasant, but it develops a
strong taste of turpentine as the season advances[2]. The inner bark is ready
to harvest when the male cones are producing pollen[257]. A famine food, it
is only used when all else fails.
Sap - collected in spring and used as a drink[161, 177].
Seed - raw or cooked[257].
A gum is made from the pitch obtained from the trunk. It is allowed to
harden and used for chewing[257].
A vanillin flavouring is obtained as a by-product of other resins that are
released from the pulpwood[200].
Medicinal Uses
Disclaimer
Antiseptic
Blood purifier Cathartic Diuretic Pectoral Poultice Salve TB Tonic VD Vulnerary.
Beach pine was widely employed medicinally by several native North
American Indian tribes who used it especially for its antiseptic and healing
properties on wounds, infections etc, and also for its beneficial effects
upon the chest and lungs[257]. It is little, if at all, used in modern
herbalism.
The turpentine obtained from the resin of all pine trees is antiseptic,
diuretic, rubefacient, vermifuge and vulnerary[4, 257]. It is a valuable
remedy when taken internally in the treatment of kidney and bladder
complaints and can be used both internally and externally in the treatment of
rheumatic affections[4, 257]. It is also used in treating diseases of the
mucous membranes and respiratory complaints[4, 257]. Externally it is used in
the form of liniment plasters and poultices in treating a range of skin
complaints, wounds, boils etc[4, 257].
A decoction of the young shoots has been used in the treatment of stomach
pains[257]. The young buds have been chewed in the treatment of a sore
throat[257].
The inner bark has been eaten as a blood purifier, diuretic and
cathartic[257]. A decoction has been used as a tonic and in the treatment of
coughs, colds, consumption and gonorrhoea[257].
Other Uses
Adhesive
Dye Fuel Herbicide Pitch String Waterproofing Wood.
A tan or green dye is obtained from the needles[168].
The roots have been braided by the N. American Indians to make a rope[226].
The needles contain a substance called terpene, this is released when rain
washes over the needles and it has a negative effect on the germination of
some plants, including wheat[201].
A pitch obtained from this tree is used for waterproofing canoes, baskets,
shoes etc and as a glue[64, 99, 226, 257]. It has also been used to preserve
wood, baskets etc[257]. The pitch is not a commercially important crop[64].
Oleo-resins are present in the tissues of all species of pines, but these
are often not present in sufficient quantity to make their extraction
economically worthwhile[64]. The resins are obtained by tapping the trunk, or
by destructive distillation of the wood[4, 64]. In general, trees from warmer
areas of distribution give the higher yields[64]. Turpentine consists of an
average of 20% of the oleo-resin[64] and is separated by distillation[4, 64].
Turpentine has a wide range of uses including as a solvent for waxes etc, for
making varnish, medicinal etc[4]. Rosin is the substance left after
turpentine is removed. This is used by violinists on their bows and also in
making sealing wax, varnish etc[4]. Pitch can also be obtained from the resin
and is used for waterproofing, as a wood preservative etc.
Wood - straight but coarse-grained, light, hard, strong, brittle[60, 82]. It
varies from light and soft to hard and heavy[229]. Easily worked, it is used
for general construction, posts, poles, pulp etc[60, 82, 99, 171, 226, 229].
It makes a good fuel, burning well even when green because it is rich in
pitch[99, 226].
Cultivation details
Thrives in a light well-drained sandy or gravelly loam[1, 11]. Dislikes
poorly drained moorland soils[1]. Tolerates water-logged soils[81]. Succeeds
in exposed maritime positions[49, 81]. Established plants tolerate
drought[200].
The coastal form of this species is a very fast growing tree, especially
when young, with new growth of 1 metre or more per year[185]. The forms from
coastal Washington and Oregon do best in Britain. The sub-species P. contorta
latifolia is normally slower growing than the species type though it is
sometimes faster in some inland sites at higher altitudes[185]. New growth
takes place from mid-April until early July[185]. Trees are long-lived, with
specimens 600 years old recorded[229].
Extensively cultivated for timber in N. Europe[50, 200], this is an
aggressive colonizing species that can form huge pure stands following a
forest fire or clear-felling an area for timber[226].
Trees can be shrubby in habit when they are grown on poor sites[200].
Leaf secretions inhibit the germination of seeds, thereby reducing the
amount of plants that can grow below the tree[18].
There are some named forms, selected for their ornamental value[188].
Plants are strongly outbreeding, self-fertilized seed usually grows
poorly[200]. They hybridize freely with other members of this genus[200].
This species hybridises in the wild with P. banksiana where their ranges
overlap[226].
Trees come into flower at an early age, usually between 6 and 10 years[229].
Good seed crops are produced every 1 - 3 years[229]. The cones are 2 - 5cm
long[82], they open and shed their seed whilst still attached to the
tree[226], though many of the cones will remain unopened on the tree,
preserving the vitality of the seeds until they are stimulated to open by
excessively hot weather or a forest fire[82, 229].
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[200].
Propagation
It is best to sow the seed in individual pots in a cold frame as soon
as it is ripe if this is possible otherwise in late winter. A short
stratification of 6 weeks at 4° c can improve the germination of stored
seed[80]. Plant seedlings out into their permanent positions as soon as
possible and protect them for their first winter or two[11]. Plants have a
very sparse root system and the sooner they are planted into their permanent
positions the better they will grow[K]. Trees should be planted into their
permanent positions when they are quite small, between 30 and 90cm[200]. We
actually plant them out when they are about 5 - 10cm tall. So long as they
are given a very good weed-excluding mulch they establish very well[K].
Larger trees will check badly and hardly put on any growth for several years.
This also badly affects root development and wind resistance[200].
Cuttings. This method only works when taken from very young trees less than
10 years old. Use single leaf fascicles with the base of the short shoot.
Disbudding the shoots some weeks before taking the cuttings can help.
Cuttings are normally slow to grow away[81].
Cultivars
- ''
- No entries have been made for this species as yet.
Suppliers
For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.
PFAF Web Pages
This plant is mentioned in the following web pages
Web References
- Details of Medicinal Uses, Habitats, etc. in M. Grieve A Modern Herbal (1931) [4]
- [L] Scientific and Common Names (some photos)
from Lepidoptera and some other life forms
- [E] Ethnobotany Data
(common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
- [B] Data
(Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
- [S] Image
from the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
- [G] Data
(Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
- [C] Taxon data.
from the CalFlora database.
- Images
from the CalPhoto database.
- [C] Taxon data.
from the CalFlora database.
- [C] Taxon data.
from the CalFlora database.
- Images
from the CalPhoto database.
- [C] Taxon data.
from the CalFlora database.
- [C] Taxon data.
from the CalFlora database.
- Images
from the CalPhoto database.
- [P] Data.
(uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
- [HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database
- [DEN] Data _ Photos
(Good Identification info) from the Virginia Tech's Dendrology Deptarments' Tree Fact Sheets.
References for Pinus contorta var. bolanderi (a possible synonym).
References for Pinus contorta var. murrayana (a possible synonym).
References for the family Pinaceae.
See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.
Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.
[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
[18] Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979
Details of beneficial and antagonistic relationships between neighbouring plants.
[49] Arnold-Forster. Shrubs for the Milder Counties.
Trees and shrubs that grow well in &ndndndnd and other mild areas of Britain. Fairly good, a standard reference book.
[50] ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964
An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
[60] Hitchcock. C. L. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press 1955
A standard flora for Western N. America with lots of information on habitat etc. Five large volumes, it is not for the casual reader.
[64] Howes. F. N. Vegetable Gums and Resins. Faber
A very good book dealing with the subject in a readable way.
[80] McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books 1985 ISBN 0-901361-21-6
Does not deal with many species but it is very comprehensive on those that it does cover. Not for casual reading.
[81] Rushforth. K. Conifers. Christopher Helm 1987 ISBN 0-7470-2801-X
Deals with conifers that can be grown outdoors in Britain. Good notes on cultivation and a few bits about plant uses.
[82] Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965 ISBN 0-486-20278-X
Two volumes, a comprehensive listing of N. American trees though a bit out of date now. Good details on habitats, some details on plant uses. Not really for the casual reader.
[94] Sweet. M. Common Edible and Useful Plants of the West. Naturegraph Co. 1962 ISBN 0-911010-54-8
Useful wild plants in Western N. America. A pocket guide.
[99] Turner. N. J. Plants in British Columbian Indian Technology. British Columbia Provincial Museum 1979 ISBN 0-7718-8117-7
Excellent and readable guide.
[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
[161] Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.
A comprehensive but very terse guide. Not for the casual reader.
[168] Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974 ISBN 0-02-544950-8
A very good and readable book on dyeing.
[171] Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952
Not very comprehensive, but it is quite readable and goes into some a bit of detail about the plants it does cover.
[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
[185] Mitchell. A. F. Conifers in the British Isles. HMSO 1975 ISBN 0-11-710012-9
A bit out of date (first published in 1972), but an excellent guide to how well the various species of conifers grow in Britain giving locations of trees.
[188] Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.
[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[201] Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd. 1993 ISBN 0-304-34324-2
A well produced and very readable book.
[222] Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990 ISBN 0395467225
A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.
[226] Lauriault. J. Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Ontario. 1989 ISBN 0889025649
Very good on identification for non-experts, the book also has a lot of information on plant uses.
[229] Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980 ISBN 0442238622
A very good concise guide. Gives habitats, good descriptions, maps showing distribution and a few of the uses. It also includes the many shrubs that occasionally reach tree proportions.
[257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
Readers Comments
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