Pinus heldreichii - Bosnian Pine

I really like this smaller pine tree. I saw them years ago at the Morton Arboretum and a few in England. I am not sure who designed the Aptos Village green space but they picked a great tree on one side and a bit of a mistake on the other, oh well.

The Bosnian pine develops a tight upright conical shape with a height in Bosnia of maybe 50 feet tall. The older ones I have seen are no more than 25' tall. There are several cultivars in the trade but most are dwarf selections, though there is one that was really dark green and compact. But I'm not sure if it's one of those so I'll stick with the species. This image is the Aptos Village tree taken 6/24.

This one is at the UCSC arboretum.

Needles are in 2's and 2-3" long, sharp pointed and very beautifully dark green, clustered at the tips and pointing forward.

Stems are light tan color.

Female strobilus (cone) is red, borne at the tips of the new growth.

Cones are 3-4" long, broad at the base and tapering to a point. They are purple when ripening, then be coming brown. They are retained on the tree for several years after dropping the seeds.

Bark is whitish gray. The older name for this species in Pinus leucodermis (white skin).

There is a cultivar named 'Compact Gem' which the plant in Aptos could be one though this cultivar is a bit rounded.

Misidentification: Austrian pine for sure, but the cones on the Austrian pine are not purple and are larger, the needles are longer as well.

Location: 

Aptos: Aptos Village green space in a raised bed.

Santa Cruz: Arboretum

Pinus cembrioides - Pinyon Pine

Uncommonly seen pinyon pine tree. Only one I have seen is in the parking lot of the Sesnon House on the Cabrillo Campus (GONE). The pinyons are very hard to differentiate from one another and I have based my identification on the fact that this specimen has a mixture of 2 (mostly) and 3 (a few) needles in their bundles.

The pinyon pine is a small pine, growing 15-20' in cultivation. Usually with branches to the ground, this one was lifted. Generally full canopy with an oval habit. Pinyons are very popular with wildlife.

Needles are in bundles of 2 and occasionally 3's. They are 1-2" long, stiff, pointing forward, light to medium green, with stomates on both surfaces but mostly on the upper.

This image shows 2 and 3 needles and the white stomatal bands on the upper surface (towards the inside of the bundle). Also notice that lack of the bundle sheath, they are deciduous on these pinyon pines.

Stems slightly hairy lacking bundle sheaths. Fairly stout and stiff.

Buds small, tan, slightly pointed. Stems are gray.

Cones are small, oval in shape 1-1.5", opening to reveal large oblong rounded seeds with no wings. Open cones are about 2" across.

Misidentification:
Other pinyon pines. Not sure I can tell the difference between P. cembroides and P. edulis.

Location:
Aptos
Cabrillo College Sesnon Parking lot. (Gone)

Pinus halepensis - Aleppo Pine

The Santa Cruz freeway pine tree, the Aleppo Pine is a fast evergreen conifer, growing quickly to 30-60 feet tall, with a mature shape that can be described as irregular. Reasonably full canopy even though the leaves are restricted to the ends of the branches. Young trees rather symmetrical. Several different forms available, or should I say differences in opinion as to the species. Pinus butia is very similar.

Leaves are evergreen in clusters of 2, 2-4" long, thin, straight or slightly twisted, medium green. Generally pointing forward on the stems, they don't seem to be retained for very many years. Have seen a few clusters with 3 needles.

Stems are silver-grayish in color. Arranged in a flat spreading upward arching habit.

You can see the overall arching habit of the lateral branches as well as the lack of leaves on slightly older parts of the stems.

Cones are narrow egg shaped (when closed) 3-5" long, reddish brown, opening oval to broadly ovate shaped. No distinct sharp prickle on the cone scale.

Cones are grayish when mature and can stay attached for years.

Bark is thick, orange-red, deeply fissured on old trees, thin and flakey on younger trucks.

Misidentification:
2 needle pines here:
P. cembrioides, very short needles, small tree, tiny cones with pinyon seeds.
P. controta, has very short leaves and very much smaller cones, not really common.
P. densiflora has very thin leaves and every much smaller cones as well as being clustered, less common as well.
P. halepensis has thin leaves, found on the freeways usually.
P. mugo, small shrub generally,
P. nigra, leaves dark, stiff, white buds, yellowish tan cones, 
P. pinea, leaves thicker, stiffer, look for the leaves on new shoots on this one to be laying almost flat and forward as well as being retained longer.
P. sylvestris, bluish green leaves, distinctly twisted, smaller cones, reddish bark, not common.
P. thunbergii, thicker needles, often yellowish green, very sharp and usually twisted.

Location:
Along the freeways throughout Santa Cruz, Capitola, Soquel and Aptos,
Good location, 41st ave intersection and along the highway heading north next to Home Depot (at 41st)

Aptos:
1855 Calypso Drive, Aptos, CA (also an Austrian Pine)

Watsonville:
Airport exit heading south on 1.

Pinus nigra - Austrian Pine

The Austrian pine (black pine) is the workhorse pine in many colder climates because its hardy, and its a beautiful dark green, densely branched large tree. As a young tree they grow quickly as a symmetrical, upright, with a dense canopy. Eventually reaching a height of 40 feet in landscapes, in their native habitat they become open and somewhat flat topped with age. If left alone, the lower branches are retained close to the ground. Often planted as large bonsai trees that get away from the owner. Habits of the different subspecies and varieties make selection important but also identification difficult. 

Here is an old one…

P.nigra caramanica from Morton Arboretum.

Leaves are in fascicles of 2, most commonly encountered subspecies have very dark green, 4-5" stiff, sharp tipped leaves pointing forwards on the stems. The other form have longer leaves, 5-6" long, lighter green and spreading.

These are the leaves of P.nigra caramanica. See how much more spreading they are?

Young stems are orangish brown, lacking any hairs, with large scales.

Male cones are yellow. 

Females red.

Mature cones are light tan, 3" long, oval shaped without sharp or distinctly projecting umbo.

Bark is attractive, furrowed, dark brown with flat plates, some trees show orangish colors poking through but usually its dark on dark.

The Austrian pine tree is native to a very large geographical area separated by a large body of water which for one reason or another has resulted in distinct populations resulting in 2 subspecies each with 3 botanical varieties. It uses to drive my students crazy in Spokane because the black pine was such an important conifer and you could see at least 2 of the varieties and they were very different in growth and foliage characteristics. The trees I have seen here all look to be an assortment.

A popular cultivar is Thundercloud, which is a dwarf with very large white buds. Very nice selection for smaller yards.

Misidentification:

2 needle pines here:
P. cembrioides, very short needles, small tree, tiny cones with pinyon seeds.
P. controta, has very short leaves and very much smaller cones, not really common.
P. densiflora has very thin leaves and every much smaller cones as well as being clustered, less common as well.
P. halepensis has thin leaves, found on the freeways usually.
P. mugo, small shrub generally,
P. nigra, leaves dark, stiff, white buds, yellowish tan cones, 
P. pinea, leaves thicker, stiffer, look for the leaves on new shoots on this one to be laying almost flat and forward as well as being retained longer.
P. sylvestris, bluish green leaves, distinctly twisted, smaller cones, reddish bark, not common.
P. thunbergii, thicker needles, often yellowish green, very sharp and usually twisted.

Location:

'Thunderhead' - 430 Seaview Drive

Aptos
335 Los Altos

Capitola
217 Oakland Ave

Santa Cruz
Gault and Darwin - Brancifort Branch Library
215 San Juan Ave

Pinus sylvestris - Scotch Pine

I love a nice scotch pine, something about the bark and the blue green needles and their generally open canopy creates a beautiful landscape tree. The species has one of the largest natural ranges in northern europe so you are likely to see lots of variation in leaf color and growth habit. There are tons of cultivars as well. I see quite a few in our neighborhoods.

Pyramidal when young, eventually open (see above) and spreading to 50'. Color depends on seed source or cultivar. Usually with distinct reddish flaking bark. This one is a cultivar called 'Watererii'.

Needles in 2's. 2.5-4" long, stiff and twisted. Color may be very blue ranging to light grey-green.

Reproductive structures, males yellow, females red.

Cones green becoming light brown, 1-2.5" long, much longer than wide (ovoid). Scales have squarish raised umbo.

Stems greenish brown as seen above, developing into beautiful red exfoliating bark.

Many dwarf cultivars arise from mutations on the stems. Some are cause by mistletoe, others not. They are generally called witches brooms.

Misidentification:
Other 2 needle pines here:
P. cembrioides, very short needles, small tree, tiny cones with pinyon seeds.
P. controta, has very short leaves and very much smaller cones, not really common.
P. densiflora has very thin leaves and every much smaller cones as well as being clustered, less common as well.
P. halepensis has thin leaves, found on the freeways usually.
P. mugo, small shrub generally,
P. nigra, leaves dark, stiff, white buds, yellowish tan cones, 
P. pinea, leaves thicker, stiffer, look for the leaves on new shoots on this one to be laying almost flat and forward as well as being retained longer.
P. sylvestris, bluish green leaves, distinctly twisted, smaller cones, reddish bark, not common.
P. thunbergii, thicker needles, often yellowish green, very sharp and usually twisted.

Location:

Aptos
425 Ewell Drive (along with several other conifers)

Capitola
Cortez St on the corner of Saint Francis Ave.

Santa Cruz
227 Anchorage Ave

Scotts Valley
MacDorsa Park