Scots pine is one of a series of blogs I’m writing on common British trees.  You can also see blogs on the Elder, the Yew, the Ash, the Oak, the Holly, the Sycamore, the Rowan, the Hawthorn, the Birch, the Lime, and the Beech.

The Scots pine is one of only three native UK conifers, along with the Yew and the Juniper.  It grows wild in heathland and in the Caledonian pine forests of the Scottish Highlands, although only 1% of these remain.  About 7000 years ago it was the commonest tree in Britain but suffered when the climate got wetter and warmer and then again when it was cleared for grazing.  Instantly recognizable, it is used for timber and provides a haven for birds, insects, and mammals.

Scots pine Pinus sylvestris tree

Identification: Tree shape

Scots pine grow to 35m tall and have a domed or flattened top and can live for 700 years.  They shed their lower branches as they grow, leaving distinctive broken limbs below the main crown.

Scots pine Pinus sylvestris tree growth progression

These trees grow in poor soils from sea level to 2,400m and were briefly extinct south of Scotland in the 1600s before being re-introduced to parkland and heaths.

Identification: Leaves

Scots pine have slightly twisted paired needles.  These are a grey green and grow to 10cm in young trees.  As the tree ages, the needles grow to shorter lengths, in the region of 3 to 7cm long.  They are evergreen, and linear.

Sprig of Scots pine

Identification: Flowers

The flowers of Scots pine are monoecious, meaning male and females are borne on the same tree.  The female flowers grow on higher more exposed branches where they can catch the male pollen, carried by wind.  They are reddish purple and grow on the tips on new shoots, looking like tiny pine cones.

Scots pine female flower (strobilus)

The male flowers are clusters of yellow pollen-producing anthers, growing at the base of the shoot.

Scots pine male flowers

Scots pine tend to flower in May, filling the air with clouds of pollen.

Identification: Fruit

The fruit of the Scots pine is a cone.  These develop from the fertilized female flowers and start off as green.  The cones take two years to mature and are 3 to 6cm long.  A Scots pine will bear cones of different ages simultaneously – young green ones and larger older grey ones.  Mature woody cones have a raised bump at the centre of each cone scale.  Within the cones are the seeds, and once mature the cone scales open to release the winged seeds.

Mature cone

Identification: Bark and buds

The bark of the Scots pine is reddish but becomes fissured and darkens to near black with age.  This explains why the tree looks like its tree trunk is two coloured, rusty red at the top and black at ground level.

Twigs are hairless and green, and the plant has sticky buds borne on the tips of yellowish twigs.

Similar species

There are other pines grown in Britain, many in forestry plantations rather than in the Caledonian forests or on heathland.  The bi colour of the bark makes the Scots pine distinctive.  The other native evergreens, the Yew and juniper, are very different from the Scots pine.  The former has glossy dark green needles and a flaky brown bark and the juniper has needle-like leaves and grows low to the ground.  They bear soft red and dark purple berries respectively, rather than woody cones.

Juniper Juniperus communis

History: Folklore

The Scots pine has been voted the national tree of Scotland and figures on coats of arms and clan motifs.  Clan chiefs would be buried under Scots pine trees and in the Norse countries, great warriors were buried on land in boats made from pine wood.

History: Mankind and Scots Pine wood

Scots pine were planted near isolated farms in the north as wind breaks, and stands of them were planted to help travellers with navigation on bleak moors and heaths.

The wood is a strong softwood and is used in the construction industry, and to make telegraph poles, gates, fenceposts and pit props in mines.  It has also been a source of charcoal.

Jackdaw on ancient Scots pine fence post

Rope can be made from the inner bark, tar derived from the roots, and a dye from the pine cones.  The cones were also dried and used for kindling.  Finally, turpentine can be made by tapping the tree for resin.

History: Food and Medicine

Although pine needles are edible, they are pretty tough and better used for flavouring.  Some evidence suggests that they can induce miscarriage, so shouldn’t be eaten by pregnant women.  They can flavour sugar, syrups and alcohol.  Steaming vegetables over water full of pine needles can give a piquant flavour, and they can be made into teas.

Cones and needles

Scots pine needles are rich in vitamin C and can be nibbled to quench thirst, or drunk in teas to fight asthma and fatigue.

There are unsubstantiated claims that pine pollen helps prevent aging.  Liniments of pine are used on sore joints, diluted pine oil can banish head-lice, and pine tar can help treat skin problems.  The scent of pine helps clear blocked noses and is good for respiratory problems.

Scots pine and Wildlife

In the Caledonian forests, rare birds like the Capercaille live along with Scottish wildcats and plants like the Lesser twayblade.  The forest floor is home to ants including the Scottish wood ant.

Worker ant Formica aquilonia Scottish wood ant

Red squirrels chase each other around their trunks and Pine martens chase the red squirrels.

Pine marten Martes martes

Flocks of Crossbill and small passerines feed there.  Golden eagles and Osprey nest in the crowns of the trees.  They provide vital shelter for so much wildlife, as seen in this blog from Loch of the Lowes.

Threats

Various diseases like Heterobasidion annosum affect the Scots pine causing root rot and butt rot. Pine stem rust, red-band needle blight, and needle cast disease also occur.  The trees suffer attacks from the pine wood nematode which causes pine wilt and Fusarium circinaum, a disease that leads to tree canker.  Some of these pathogens are recent arrivals and pose real threats to the trees, although the University of Nebraska suggests pine wilt can be prevented by injecting healthy trees with abamectin or emamectin benzoate.   For more on the threats to Scots pine, check out the article in The Guardian newspaper.

Canker (in this case on a rose not on a Scots pine)

A potential threat in future years is the Pine processionary moth Thaumetopoea pityocampa whose range is expanding northward due to global warming.

They may also be defoliated by the Pine tree lappet moth Dendropinus pini.  Migrating north from the European mainland, a breeding colony was detected in Scotland in 2009 and containment regulations are in place to try and contain its spread (Scottish Forestry).

Conclusion

The Scots pine is an easy recognised native conifer.  Despite challenges facing the tree, mainly caused by invasive species moving northwards thanks to global warming, for now it is common on uplands, heathland, and in forestry.  Providing timber and protection for wildlife, it is to be hoped that it will continue to thrive for centuries to come.

Long-tailed, Blue, Coal and Great tit in a Scots pine

Online sources for this blog include websites of the Woodland trust, Kew Plants of the World , Trees for life,  Tree guide UK, and NatureSpot.  Reference books for this blog include the excellent The Greenwood Trees by Christina Hart-Davies and the Reader’s Digest The Field Guide to the Trees and Shrubs of Britain (out of print but commonly available second-hand).  I also referred to The Tree Forager by Adele Nozedar and The Living Wisdom of Trees by Fred Hageneder.

The post Trees: Scots pine Pinus sylvestris appeared first on Lizzie Harper.

I was lucky enough to be asked to do the illustrations.  Not only am I really excited to be associated with this timely and fascinating book, but the fact that Ben is a local author is also very pleasing.

Cover of The Treeline by Ben Rawlence

The Treeline: Species list

Trees tough enough to survive in such northerly climates are not too numerous.  This means the number of species needing illustrating is limited.  Each species needs a picture of the tree itself, and an assortment of its leaves, cones, flower, and fruit.

Some are familiar, and feel like old friends.  I’m thinking of the Rowan Sorbus aucuparia, Scots pine Pinus sylvestris, Hazel Corylus avellana and Juniper Juniperus communis.  I was able to re-use some of the illustrations completed for The Living Wisdom of Trees by Fred Hageneder, thanks to an arrangement made with its publisher.

Scots pine Pinus sylvestris

In total, there are 16 species which appear in the northern boreal forests (and in the book!)  The fact that I was surprised to find some growing so far north reflects holes in my botanical knowledge.  I didn’t expect to see Aspen Populus tremuloides, Balsam poplar Populus balsamifera, Alder Alnus glutinosa, or Crack willow Salix fragilis on the list.

Being asked to do the illustrations

Unusually, Ben approached me himself.  Normally commissioning of artwork for books is done through an art editor.  I know Ben slightly as my other half has made a wonderful desk for him in the past.  So when Ben got in touch to ask if I’d be interested in illustrating his books as I was “the only illustrator he knows”, I jumped at the chance.  How fortunate that the only illustrator he knows also happens to have illustrated several books on trees!  It was meant to be.  It was good to have Ben as my commissioner as he knew exactly what features to emphasize in the illustrations.

Inking up the pencil rough of Downy birch Betula pubescens

The Treeline: Tough trees in difficult conditions

Many of the trees growing at this northern limit of the boreal forests are small and stunted by the cold.  This condition occurs across species, and is know as Krummhloz. Trees can only grow close to the ground, or beneath snow.  This is cause the arctic winds above are so damaging.  Resulting trees are often thick at a lower level.  Emergent branches and trunks are spindly, sparse, and thin.

I try to include aspects of this in the illustrations, but make sure the trees still look species specific.  In reality, the sprawling lower vegetation is more pronounced.  Perhaps I err on the side of drawing more species-typical specimens.

Black Spruce Picea marinara tree

Comparisons

Some of the trees need to be compared so that the subtle differences between species can be clarified.  This is tricky.  You’re trying to work with reference of trees from this particular habitat, often with Krummholz.  Details have to be botanically correct.  The Black and White spruce are particularly difficult to untangle, not least cause sometimes the image reference online is attributed to the wrong species!

White spruce Picea glauca

The cones are very different, but differences between female flowers in these two are hard to pinpoint.  Luckily, the male flowers are simpler.  White spruce ones grow erect, but they’re pendulous in Black spruce.

Black spruce Picea mariana

The Treeline: Drawing conifers vs Deciduous trees

Drawing a deciduous tree is harder than drawing a conifer.  With Pine and Spruce and Larch, you represent the needles with lots of tiny ink lines.  The tonality is easy to work into, and the textures flow readily from the pen.

Siberian larch Larix sibirica

Deciduous trees are more nebulous.  Shadows cast by elliptical or lobed leaves are less predictable, and giving the impression of depth and thickness of vegetation is far harder.  It’s easy to make the edges of the foliage too crisp, or to fail to balance internal shadows.

Downy Birch Betula pubescens

However, when it comes to leaves, fruit, and flowers the situation is reversed.  Give me a catkin over a larch strobilus any day!

Dahurian larch Larix gmelinii strobilus and male flowers

The learning curve with the conifers is a steep one.  I understand the anatomy of cones, but for this job I had to learn about strobilus and the different male and female flowering structures of conifers.  “You should know this already!” I hear you cry, “having illustrated lots of Pine and Spruce trees before!”  And you’re right.  But I don’t.

Downy birch Betula pubescens fruiting catkins

For more on the Downy birch, check out my  blog and youtube film showing me inking up the catkins and leaves in real time and discussing my processes.

The Treeline: Layout

Ben and the team want the details of each tree to sit together neatly on the page.  I provided them with all the different elements separately, and in one layout.  As it turns out (and as expected) the design team alter my layouts, but this is fine with me. The laying out  is actually quite fun.  I love how much smarter the illustrations look when surrounded by a border, and annotated.  Even though my layouts weren’t used in the book, I know it’s given suggestions to the designers that may prove useful.

Dahurian larch Larix gmelinii cones

And here are the same cones along with the other accompanying illustrations

Dahurian larch Larix gmelinii details

Conclusion

I haven’t been able to read the book yet, but can’t wait to get my hands on a copy.  There are a lot of books coming out which focus on the environment, and how climate change and man are altering the natural balance.  Although it can feel depressing, I truly believe these messages need to get out there.  The variety of habitats which are being changed is as diverse as life itself, and I’m keen to know more about the northern edge of the arboreal forest, and the dangers the climate emergency are causing.  This extraordinary forest even appeared on David Attenborough’s latest series, “The Green Planet” in the “Seasonal |World’s” episode, and seeing film of the snow covered trees was wonderful, and strangely moving.  Here’s rather a good review from The Guardian newspaper.

Larch Larix decidua or europea

Illustrating A Life on Our Planet by David Attenborough, and another upcoming title on the importance and fragility of life on earth (“The Hidden Universe” by director of Kew Gardens Alexandre Antonelli); I feel like I’m somehow involved in a small way in getting these messages out to the public.  And that matters to me.  It makes me proud to be associated with important and timely books like The Treeline by Ben Rawlence.

Here’s the film about illustrating the catkins and leaves of the Downy Birch:

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