Pinus morrisonicola (30/12/14, Kew Gardens, London)
Position: Full sun
Flowering period: Early spring
Soil: Moist, well drained
Eventual Height: 25m
Eventual Spread: 20m
Hardiness: 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
Family: Pinaceae
Pinus morrisonicola is a fast growing evergreen coniferous tree with a broad rounded crown. Its mid green leaves are in the form of needles, appear in groups of five, up to 9cm long. Its trunk may achieve a diameter of up to 1.2m. Its gray to black brown bark is shallowly fissured and furrowed. Its male monoecious flowers are in the form of ellipsoid pollen cones. Its fruit are brown ovoid cones, are up to 11cm long and 5cm across when mature.
Pinus morrisonicola Leaf (30/12/14, Kew Gardens, London)
Pinus morrisonicola, commonly known as Taiwan White Pine, is native to Taiwan. In its native habitat this tree it grows in mixed woodland at an elevation of 300m to 2300m.
The etymological root of the binomial name Pinus is the old classical name for ‘Pine tree’. Morrisonicola named after the English name Mount Morrison, a name given to the Taiwan mountain Nutaka Yara and the Latin epithet cola meaning ‘dweller’.
The landscape architect may find Pinus morrisonicola useful as an attractive specimen coniferous tree.
Pinus morrisonicola Bark (30/12/14, Kew Gardens, London)
Ecologically, Pinus morrisonicola the seeds of this tree are attractive to some birds.
Pinus morrisonicola prefers moist, well-drained soils. It tolerates most pH of soil.
Pinus morrisonicola requires little maintenance.