AusBonsai

We have some very old pines around Parkes and I have never worked out what they are.
Any ideas?

This is the first it is a two needle pine with needles 3-5 inches long.
Quite tall

I would hazard a guess at green ones


Sorry mate just thought for a moment to lighten things up.

The other hazard would be for radiata as a lot were planted as furniture and house building wood.
A lot got away via cockatoos eating the cones.

Just my humble opinion. Pup

I am not sure if this is the same species as the first one posted but this shorter statured ones are more common around here as a street tree. The bark is much better on the shorter variety than the tall one above. Sorry about the fuzzy pic Batteries just ran out on the camera but the cones from these trees look the same. 80-90mm long and 30-35mm wide.

They are definitely Green pup but I don't think Radiata. I thought they where but then I was told Radiata had three needles not two. At least I think that is what I was told. Apparently two needle is the most common hence the hardest to identify.

[quote="Bretts"]They are definitely Green pup but I don't think Radiata. I thought they where but then I was told Radiata had three needles not two. At least I think that is what I was told. Apparently two needle is the most common hence the hardest to identify.[/quote

Hi Bretts there are 2 / 2 needle radiata pines in the world ,although very few know about them .
1/ Var' Binata Lemmon
2/ Var' Baja California
Some of the old Radiata trees 90 years plus around VIC have 2 needles at the ends however on closer inspection you can locate 3-4- sometimes even 5 needles on them .Mind you i havn't done any thorough research on them .Cheers

Some of those later images look a little like Pinus halapensis - Aleppo pine.These are common in drier areas around Australia so that would fit in with being planted at Parkes. Halapensis has quite distinctive blue juvenile growth but ends up looking like most other 2 needle pines but they tend to be shorter and more spreading than radiata.
I believe halapensis is from southern Europe and may even be what is grown as 'Gallipoli Lone pine' here in Australia although I was recently told that due to a mistake the lone pine grown in Australia is not actually the same species/ variety as the lone pine at Gallipoli.

Thanks Shibui. Aleppo pine was my mate Pol's first guess and it sure looks like it here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinus_halepensis

I did not realise this was the 'Gallipoli Lone pine' Thats intresting.

Thanks for that info too Alpine but I found it dificult finding any further info

Hey , don't know if you're still searching but going buy the bark texture and general apearance of the foliage i'd guess pinus pinea or one of the pinus nigra varieties perhaps.

Ryan

Halepensis.... is that a chilli tree with bad breath..?
Matt.