Bhutan Pine Identification
The Bhutan Pine Pinus wallichiana is a 5-needle pine which is soft to the touch. It is a conifer, native to the Himalayas. It was introduced to Britain in 1823. It is widely planted in parks and gardens. It can be confused with the Weymouth Pine but the needles and cones are longer on this pine. The long needles mean that they droop from the branches. Click on any photo to enlarge it.
Bhutan Pine Identification – 5-needle pine, very long soft drooping pine needles, very long pine cones.
The long drooping needles and hanging cones give the tree a characteristic appearance.
The leaves are in 5s. The needles are very long (10 to 20cm) and thin, dark green on the upper side but with 2 white bands of stomata on the lower side.
Pine needles are bundled together, usually in clusters of 2,3 or 5. The number in the bundle can help to ID the tree. The needles are joined at the base near the shoot and the bundle of needles is called a fascicle.
The needles droop down in long sprays and are soft to touch.
Long cones are easy to see amongst the drooping needles
A cone in September. This is 1 year old. It will turn brown in December.
A fully grown cone. They are very long (10 to 30cm). Cones are often encrusted in white resin.
An open cone after release of seeds.
The bark of older trees has vertical cracks