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Native Plant Trust: Go Botany Discover thousands of New England plants

Pinus nigra — Austrian pine

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New England distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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North America distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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Facts

Austrian pine is native to central and southern Europe and neighboring Asia. It grows up to 70 feet (22 m) tall, often becoming umbrella-shaped when older. The platy, red-brown bark on mature trees is interestingly textured. The needles come in pairs and are flexible. The cones are symmetrical and sessile (with no stalk). It resembles red pine (Pinus resinosa), but the latter species has brittle needles with blunt ends.

Habitat

Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), forest edges

Characteristics

Habitat
terrestrial
New England state
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
Growth form
the plant is a tree
Leaf form
the leaves are needle-like
Leaf cross-section
the needle-like leaves are rounded, or flattened on one side (can be rolled between the fingers)
Leaf arrangement
the needle-like leaves are in clusters or held on short shoots
Seed cone form
the seed cone is longer than wide, with woody scales attached at the base
Leaf clustering
the needle-like leaves are in bundles or clusters of two
Seed cone shape
the seed cone is ovoid (egg-shaped)
Leaves overlapping
the needle-like leaves are separate and do not hide the twig surface
Show all characteristics

  • Buds or leaf scars

    Winter bud shape
    the winter buds are ovoid (egg-shaped)

  • Fruits or seeds

    Seed cone base
    the base of the seed cone does not look hollow
    Seed cone bracts
    the bracts are covered by the seed cone scales
    Seed cone form
    the seed cone is longer than wide, with woody scales attached at the base
    Seed cone scales
    the visible portion of the scale of the closed seed cone is thickened at its base
    Seed cone shape
    the seed cone is ovoid (egg-shaped)
    Seed cone symmetry
    the seed cone is symmetrical
    Seed cone umbo spine
    the seed cone scale has a sharp point on it
    Seed wings
    the seeds have wing-like projections

  • Growth form

    Growth form
    the plant is a tree

  • Leaves

    Leaf arrangement
    the needle-like leaves are in clusters or held on short shoots
    Leaf base
    NA
    Leaf clustering
    the needle-like leaves are in bundles or clusters of two
    Leaf cross-section
    the needle-like leaves are rounded, or flattened on one side (can be rolled between the fingers)
    Leaf duration
    the needle-like leaves remain green all winter
    Leaf form
    the leaves are needle-like
    Leaf glands
    there are no glands on the underside of the needle-like leaves
    Leaf stalks
    the needle-like leaves do not have a leaf stalk
    Leaf types
    there are two distinct types of needle-like leaves on the twig
    Leaves overlapping
    the needle-like leaves are separate and do not hide the twig surface

  • Place

    Habitat
    terrestrial
    New England state
    • Maine
    • Massachusetts
    Specific habitat
    • edges of forests
    • man-made or disturbed habitats

  • Stem, shoot, branch

    Bark resin blisters
    there are no resin blisters on the bark
    Leaves on shoots
    there are needle-like leaves growing in tight clusters on a short, knob-like shoot
    Twig bloom
    there is no bloom on the twig
    Twig hair type
    the twigs have few or no hairs on them
    Twig hairs
    the twig does not have hairs

Wetland status

Not classified

New England distribution and conservation status

Distribution

Connecticut
absent
Maine
present
Massachusetts
present
New Hampshire
absent
Rhode Island
absent
Vermont
absent

Conservation status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.

Massachusetts
unranked (S-rank: SNR)

Native to North America?

No

Sometimes confused with

Pinus resinosa:
leaves brittle, tending to break when bent, winter buds red-brown, smaller branches orange-brown, and seed cones, when falling, leaving some of the basal scales on the branch (vs. P. nigra, with leaves pliable, tending not to break when bent, winter buds gray, smaller branches brown to gray-brown, and seed cones falling with all the scales intact).
Pinus thunbergii:
winter buds not resinous, growth habit irregular, the main stem and branches often forked, and seed cones stalked, with a +/- truncate base (vs. P. nigra, with winter buds resinous, growth habit relatively uniform and often with an unbranched main stem, and seed cones sessile, with a +/- rounded base).

Family

Pinaceae

Genus

Pinus

Help

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae

3.  Pinus nigra Arnott E

Austrian pine. MA, ME. Forest edges and fragments, near areas of human habitation.