AusBonsai

These are typical of the Pinus Nigra species Hope this helps those who seek the Nigra's out .

Cheers Alpineart

The Pinus Nigra Austriaca on the main street is stunning, and the bark at the base of the trunk is fantastic and very distinctive...not used to seeing bark like that,it is great!!
Thanks for posting, Dario.

Thanks Alpine,
Could you please tell us what are the main differences between, Nigra and Radiata.
I am not great at pines and would like to learn more, I am surrounded by pine plantations and am just wondering how to tell the difference between the two.

Thanks
Mick

Hi Handy Mick ,

The Pinus Nigra is a 2 needle pine with a course sharp needles more-so on the Nigra - Nigra than the Austriaca and even less coarse on the Maratima which has the longest needles of the three , bark is silver/white in large plates on older tree's, candles are brown , silver , green or white , cones are born at the ends of new season growth singularly more-so in the upper canopy and is NOT used for commercial growing in Australia .

The Monterey/Radiata is a 3 needle pine , however it can have 2-3-4 and 5 needles on the same branch , this is not unusual however it is classed as a 3 needle pine ,they are soft to touch compared to the Nigra Pines . Bark is fissured from a young tree approx' 6-8 years whilst it has plates of bark as in a young tree it tends to turn into blocks with age , usually a redish/brown colour in the fissure , cones are usually born in whorls of three more-so in the upper/outer reaches of the 1-2 year old growth , the foliage has a distinct sweet aroma when crushed , candles are usually green , widely used in commercial plantations , and referred to as the Monterey Pine rather than the Radiata pine by most in the Plantation Corps up here .

Hope this helps . Cheers Alpineart

Hi Dario , most just think pine tree, but it is a very nice specimen and probably the best i have seen . Its a pity the lower branches are missing , that would be the making of this Nigra Austriaca for sure .

Cheers Alpine

Thanks Alpine,
You sure do know your stuff.

Mick

Hi Mick , a couple of decades of research helps when it come to Pines and there is always a lot more to learn .Cheers Alpine