Monterey Pine, Pinus radiata

About Monterey Pine (Pinus radiata) 19 Nurseries Carry This Plant

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Pinus radiata, commonly known as Monterey pine, insignis pine or radiata pine, is a coniferous evergreen tree growing to between 15 - 30 m (49 - 98 ft) in height in the wild, but up to 60 m (200 ft) in cultivation in optimum conditions, with upward pointing branches and a rounded top. The leaves ('needles') are bright green, in clusters of three (two in var. binata), slender, 8 - 15 cm (3.1 - in) long and with a blunt tip. The cones are 7 - 17 cm (2.8 - 6.7 in) long, brown, ovoid (egg-shaped), and usually set asymmetrically on a branch, attached at an oblique angle. The bark is fissured and dark grey to brown. It is adapted to cope with stand-killing fire disturbance. Its cones are serotinous, i.e. they remain closed until opened by the heat of a forest fire; the abundant seeds are then discharged to regenerate on the burned forest floor. The cones may also burst open in hot weather.

It is native to three very limited areas located in Santa Cruz, Monterey Peninsula, and San Luis Obispo Counties in California, and also to Guadalupe and Cedros Islands in Mexico. Although Pinus radiata is extensively cultivated around the world for lumber, the version of the tree used in the lumber industry is vastly different from the native tree of Monterey. In its natural state, Monterey pine is a rare and endangered tree, and is twisted, knotty and full of sap/resin and not suitable for lumber.

In its native range, Monterey pine is associated with a characteristic flora and fauna. It is the co-dominant canopy tree together with Cupressus macrocarpa which naturally occurs only in coastal Monterey County Furthermore, one of the pine forests in Monterey, California, was the discovery site for Hickman's potentilla, an endangered species. Piperia yadonii, a rare species of orchid is endemic to the same pine forest adjacent to Pebble Beach. In its native range, Monterey Pine is a principal host for the dwarf mistletoe Arceuthobium littorum. A remnant Monterey pine stand in Pacific Grove is a prime wintering habitat of the monarch butterfly.

Grow this plant only along the coast well within the coastal fog bank. In inland areas, It will grow fast if given water, but typically die after around 5 years.

Plant Description

Plant Type

Tree

Size

49.2 - 196.9 ft tall
15 - 30 ft wide

Form

Upright, Pyramidal, Rounded, Upright Columnar

Growth Rate

Fast

Dormancy

Evergreen

Fragrance

Fragrant - Pleasant

Flower Color

Yellow, Brown, Cream

Flowering Season

Winter

Wildlife Supported

Butterflies & moths hosted ( 10 confirmed

, 71 likely * ) SHOW ALL

Monterey Pine Shoot Moth Exoteleia burkeiExoteleia burkei

Sequoia Pitch Moth Synanthedon sequoiaeSynanthedon sequoiae

Nantucket Pine Tip Moth Rhyacionia frustranaRhyacionia frustrana

Orange Tortrix Moth Argyrotaenia franciscanaArgyrotaenia franciscana

Gloveria arizonensisGloveria arizonensis

Chionodes abellaChionodes abella

Monterey Pine Needle Miner Argyresthia pilatellaArgyresthia pilatella

Landscaping Information

Sun

Full Sun, Part Shade

Moisture

Very Low

Summer Irrigation

Max 2x / month once established

Nurseries

Carried by 19

Ease of Care

Very Easy

Cold Tolerance

Tolerates cold to 10 - 20° F

Soil Drainage

Fast

Soil Description

Prefers sand or sandstone. Soil PH: 4 - 7

Common uses

Bank Stabilization, Bird Gardens, Butterfly Gardens

Companion Plants

Monterey Cypress (Hesperocyparis macrocarpa), Maritime Ceanothus (Ceanothus maritimus), Alumroot (Heuchera micrantha), Twinberry (Lonicera involucrata), Sticky Monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus), Redflower Currant (Ribes sanguineum),

Maintenance

90% of the trees in wild stands in Monterey Country are infected with pine pitch canker, caused by caused by Fusarium circinatum, a fungal disease.. Prune in winter when wood boring insects are less active.

Propagation?

For propagating by seed: Fresh seeds need no treatment; 1wk. stratification may improve germination. Stored seeds 1-3 wks. stratification may improve germination (USDA Forest Service 1974).

Natural Setting

Site Type

Coastal bluffs and dunes, in the coastal fog belt

Climate

Annual Precipitation: 12.4" - 81.3", Summer Precipitation: 0.15" - 1.60", Coldest Month: 42.3" - 56.4", Hottest Month: 58.2" - 72.4", Humidity: 0.01" - 18.81", Elevation: 7" - 3288"

Alternative Names

Common Names: Insignis Pine, Pino Quebradizo

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Sources include: Wikipedia. All text shown in the "About" section of these pages is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Plant observation data provided by the participants of the California Consortia of Herbaria, Sunset information provided by Jepson Flora Project. Propogation from seed information provided by the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden from "Seed Propagation of Native California Plants" by Dara E. Emery. Sources of plant photos include CalPhotos, Wikimedia Commons, and independent plant photographers who have agreed to share their images with Calscape. Other general sources of information include Calflora, CNPS Manual of Vegetation Online, Jepson Flora Project, Las Pilitas, Theodore Payne, Tree of Life, The Xerces Society, and information provided by CNPS volunteer editors, with special thanks to Don Rideout. Climate data used in creation of plant range maps is from PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, using 30 year (1981-2010) annual "normals" at an 800 meter spatial resolution.

Links: Jepson eFlora Taxon Page CalPhotos Wikipedia Calflora

Monterey Pine

Pinus radiata

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Monterey PinePinus radiata

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Monterey Pine

Pinus radiata