Pine seedlings

Austrian pine or European black pine (Pinus nigra austriaca) seedlings.A moderately fast-growing, evergreen conifer, initially pyramidal with branches reaching the ground, later forming a broad crown and a bare trunk with cracked, dark gray bark. Grows ~20-40 cm per year. It grows more slowly in sunny areas and more rapidly in shady areas (e.g. forests), seeking sunlight and revealing its bare trunk more quickly.The needles are 8-12 cm long, dark green, pointed and rather stiff, arranged in pairs. The small yellow flowers are followed by dark green, pointed cones that ripen to light brown.It grows well in a variety of environments, including urban, coastal and open areas. Suitable for growing in rows to create shade or lee.No fertilization is needed. Formation is possible in the end of winter or summer by pruning the 'candles', the young shoots, before they have developed needles of the appropriate size. Do not prune branches without needles!In 10-20 years it can reach a height of more than 12 m and a width of 8 m. In suitable locations it can grow up to 30 m high.

From the other subspecies of Pinus mugo, the mountain pine var. uncinata, or hook pine, differs in that it grows slightly taller, reaching heights of 15-24 m and widths of 6-10 m, depending on growing conditions. The crown is densely branched, oval to pyramidal, with upward branches arranged in whorls.The green to light brown cones of var. uncinata differ from other cones of Pinus mugo. They have a very sloped base and pyramidal scales with the ends folded into a "hook".The dark green, fragrant needles, 3-6 cm long, are similar to other Pinus mugo needles. They are clustered in pairs on the branches.In May, the tree blooms with yellow male and red female flowers at the ends of the branches. The bark of the branches is gray-brown, peeling and scaly.

Mountain pine is a small, slow-growing conifer that grows only 4 m tall and often as wide or wider.It has strong, 2.5-5 cm long, dark green needles with finely serrated edges. They are always grouped in twos, sometimes in threes. In winter the needles often turn yellow-green.The cones are oval, dry, brown, 2.5-5 cm long.The pine is densely branched. Its shape can be pyramidal and slightly rounded, or bushy and "flared".