Pinus armandii (09/02/2013, Kew Gardens, London)
Position: Full sun to light shade
Flowering period: Spring
Soil: Moist, well drained
Eventual Height: 35m
Eventual Spread: 15m
Hardiness: 6b – 9a
Family: Pinaceae
Pinus armandii is a coniferous evergreen tree with a conical habit. Its mid green leaves are in the form of needles, in bundles of five, up to 15cm long and 1.5mm broad. Its trunk may achieve a diameter of up to 1m. Its gray bark is initially smooth becoming fissured with square plates as it matures. Its flowers are in the form of pollen cones. Its fruit are cones which take up to two years to mature, initially green, maturing to yellow brown, up to 22cm long and 8cm broad.
Pinus armandii Leaf (09/02/2013, Kew Gardens, London)
Pinus armandii, commonly known as the Chinese White Pine or Armand’s Pine, is native to central and southern China. In its native habitat it grows at an altitude of 100m – 3,300m in mixed conifer forests.
The etymological root of the binomial name Pinus is the old classical name for ‘Pine tree’. Armandii is named after Jean Pierre Armand David (1826-1900), a Christian missionary who traveled throughout China collecting many specimens in the zoological, botanical, geological and paleontological sciences.
The landscape architect may find Pinus armandii useful as an attractive parkland evergreen tree. Once established this tree is drought tolerant.
Pinus armandii Bark (09/02/2013, Kew Gardens, London)
Ecologically, Pinus armandii seeds are attractive to some birds.
Pinus armandii prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soils. It an acid to neutral pH of soil. It dislikes wet soils.
Pinus armandii requires little maintenance.