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Sugar Pine - pinus lambertiana
By goodadmin | May 25, 2007
by steve stamos
Sugar pine is the largest of all the pine trees growing to 65 meters tall and up to 180cm in diameter, straight, with long almost horizontal branches. The bark is 5-8cm thick, grey-brown with deep furrows. Leaves and shoots have a sweet grapefruit-like aroma. Sugar pine is native to the mountain ranges of
Sugar pine is monnecious and both male and female flowers are found on the same tree. The Time of pollination ranges from May to early August. Cones are ripe and open when their color turns brown in autumn. The seeds are large, heavy and mature trees produce large amounts of sound seeds palatable to human, raw or cooked, and browse animals. It has a pleasant sweet nutty flavor. The name, Sugar Pine, derives from the sweet resin exudation on the bark. The sweet sugar-like substance is used to sweeten foods; however, some caution is advised since it has laxative properties if used in larger quantities. The pitch obtained from the bark is allowed to dry and then used as chewing gum. The high grades of old-growth sugar pine wood commands premium prices for specialty uses.
The tree is propagated from seeds and cuttings. It is best to sow seeds as soon as they are ripe. Six weeks at 4C stratification improves germination rate of stored seeds. It is best to plant pine seedlings out into their permanent position as soon as possible. Trees should be planted when 20 to 50cm tall. Propagation from cuttings only works if cuttings are taken from young trees, 5 to 10 years old.
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Topics: Nut Trees |
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