Botanical Name:

Pinus sylvestris

Common Name:

Scots pine, Scotch pine

Family Name:

Pinaceae – pine family

General Description:

Pinus sylvestris is considered to be the most widely distributed pine in the world. It is native from northern Europe to Siberia and from the Arctic Circle to Spain. Though not native in the Chicago area there are a few naturalized stands; however, it is not considered invasive. The common name “Scots pine” is the preferred choice over “Scotch pine”. At one time, Scots pine was a commonly planted ornamental but it, along with many pines, is less used today. Pinus sylvestris requires full sun and must have good drainage; otherwise it is tolerant of poor soils, drought and most urban conditions. It is susceptible to a number of pests and diseases. Despite these problems there are a wide variety of useful cultivars available in the trade mostly selected for needle color and form.

Zone:

3-7

Resources Consulted:

Davis, Becke. "ILCA Presents-Pines: A Perpetual Favorite." Landscape Contractor May 2003: 29-33. Print.

Dirr, Michael A. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses. Champaign: Stipes, 2009. Print.

"The PLANTS Database." USDA, NRCS. National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA, 2014. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.

Swink, Floyd, and Gerould Wilhelm. Plants of the Chicago Region. Indianapolis: Indiana Academy of Science, 1994. Print.

Creator:

Julia Fitzpatrick-Cooper, Professor, College of DuPage

Creation Date:

2014

Keywords/Tags:

Pinaceae, tree, conifer, cone, needle, evergreen, Pinus sylvestris, Scots pine, Scotch pine

Download PDF version of this plant profile