David's Pine, Chinese White Pine, Armand's Pine
 

Mature Size, Growth, Longevity

Grows 30-50' tall and 15-30' wide in landscapes, to 150' tall in the wild. Graceful, broad-pyramidal habit Overall growth rate is slow to medium, yet may grow 2-3' per year in its youth.

Native Range

Native to Western and Central China, southeastern Tibet, Taiwan and Korea. Introduced in 1895.

Flower and Fruit Details

Monoecious flowers. Fruits in large, heavy, non-tapering cones, 4-8" long by 2.5-3" wide. These thick-scaled, resin-coated, sticky cones are so large and heavy, they weigh down the branches.

Leaf and Bark Features

Evergreen: Needles are 4-7" long, in groups of 5, glossy green outside, but glaucous on inner sides, minutely toothed on margin. Winter needle browning may occur in severe, windy winters.

Culture and Care

Best moved to a permanent location while a young plant. Prefers acid, organic, well-drained, sandy, loamy soils. Avoid alkaline, clay soils. Needs full sun. Tolerates air pollution. Zone 5-7. Cultural problems are more likely to be caused by heavy clay than by insects or diseases.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Other Facts

Good wildlife value. 4-season interest: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter. Except for its large, heavy cones, this species is very similar to Pinus wallichiana.

Suggested Uses

Excellent, graceful evergreen for large areas. Makes a beautiful specimen tree for the landscape.

Taxa and Plants of this Species at BCA