Limber Pine, Rocky Mountain White Pine
Pinus flexilis

Family: Pinaceae

What it is like

Bloom Color: Yellow. Main Bloom Time: Early spring, Late spring, Mid spring. Form: Oval, Pyramidal.

Pinus flexilis is an evergreen Tree growing to 25 m (82ft 0in) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3. It is in leaf all year, in flower from May to June, and the seeds ripen from September to October. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Wind. The plant is not self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

Height (m): 25

Where it is found

Often forming open forests in the sub alpine to alpine zones, often in semi-arid areas. Usually found on dry rocky ridges and peaks.

Western N. America - Alberta to California.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 3

Seed - raw or cooked. The oil-rich seed has a delicious flavour with a hint of resin. The seeds can also be ground into a powder and used in making bread, biscuits, as a thickener in soups etc. A reasonable size, the seed is up to 11mm x 9mm, with a thick shell. Inner bark. There are no more details but inner bark is often dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickener in soups etc or added to cereals when making bread. A vanillin flavouring is obtained as a by-product of other resins that are released from the pulpwood.

Inner bark: the bark that is found just beneath the tough outer bark of trees and shrubs.

Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.

Condiment: the various plants that are used as flavourings, either as herbs, spices or condiments.

Medicine

Rating: 2

The turpentine obtained from the resin of all pine trees is antiseptic, diuretic, rubefacient and vermifuge. It is a valuable remedy used internally in the treatment of kidney and bladder complaints and is used both internally and as a rub and steam bath in the treatment of rheumatic affections. It is also very beneficial to the respiratory system and so is useful in treating diseases of the mucous membranes and respiratory complaints such as coughs, colds, influenza and TB. Externally it is a very beneficial treatment for a variety of skin complaints, wounds, sores, burns, boils etc and is used in the form of liniment plasters, poultices, herbal steam baths and inhalers.

Antiseptic: Preventing sepsis, decay or putrefaction, it destroys or arrests the growth of micro-organisms.

Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.

Rubefacient: A counter-irritant and external stimulant, it produces inflammation and redness of the skin.

Vermifuge: Expels and kills internal parasites.

Other

Rating: 3

A tan or green dye is obtained from the needles. The needles contain a substance called terpene, this is released when rain washes over the needles and it has a negative effect on the germination of some plants, including wheat. A fairly wind resistant tree, it can be grown as part of a shelterbelt planting. Oleo-resins are present in the tissues of all species of pines, but these are often not present in sufficient quantity to make their extraction economically worthwhile. The resins are obtained by tapping the trunk, or by destructive distillation of the wood. In general, trees from warmer areas of distribution give the higher yields. Turpentine consists of an average of 20% of the oleo-resin and is separated by distillation. Turpentine has a wide range of uses including as a solvent for waxes etc, for making varnish, medicinal etc. Rosin is the substance left after turpentine is removed. This is used by violinists on their bows and also in making sealing wax, varnish etc. Pitch can also be obtained from the resin and is used for waterproofing, as a wood preservative etc. Wood - light, soft, close-grained. It is occasionally made into lumber and is also used for general carpentry.

Dye: Plants that provide dyes.

Herbicide: Plants or plant extracts that can inhibit the growth of other plants.

Shelterbelt: Wind resistant plants than can be grown to provide shelter in the garden etc.

Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.

Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.

How it is grown

Landscape Uses:Pest tolerant, Specimen. Thrives in a light well-drained sandy or gravelly loam. Dislikes poorly drained moorland soils. Established plants tolerate drought. A fairly wind-resistant species, the plants often colonise exposed mountain slopes in the wild, their deep taproot anchoring them firmly. A very cold-tolerant plant when fully dormant. A long-lived but slow-growing tree in the wild. Growth in Britain can be fairly fast, over 30cm a year has been recorded. It is slow to get started but then grows away quite well. It only makes a small tree in cultivation. Seed production in the wild consists of a cycle of one good year followed by several years of low crops. Leaf secretions inhibit the germination of seeds, thereby inhibiting the growth of other plants below the tree. The branches are very flexible. The cones are 7 - 25cm long, they open and shed their seed whilst still attached to the tree. Plants are strongly outbreeding, self-fertilized seed usually grows poorly. They hybridize freely with other members of this genus. This species is closely allied to P. albicaulis, differing mainly in the cones. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus. Special Features:Attracts birds, Attractive foliage, North American native, Inconspicuous flowers or blooms. The plant is heat tolerant in zones 7 through 1. (Plant Hardiness Zones show how well plants withstand cold winter temperatures. Plant Heat Zones show when plants would start suffering from the heat. The Plant Heat Zone map is based on the number of "heat days" experienced in a given area where the temperature climbs to over 86 degrees F (30°C). At this temperature, many plants begin to suffer physiological damage. Heat Zones range from 1 (no heat days) to 12 (210 or more heat days). For example Heat Zone. 11-1 indicates that the plant is heat tolerant in zones 11 through 1.) For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a standard with a non-suckering single trunk. An evergreen. The root pattern is a tap root similar to a carrot going directly down.

Propagating it: It is best to sow the seed in individual pots in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe if this is possible otherwise in late winter. A short stratification of 6 weeks at 4°c can improve the germination of stored seed. Plant seedlings out into their permanent positions as soon as possible and protect them for their first winter or two. Plants have a very sparse root system and the sooner they are planted into their permanent positions the better they will grow. Trees should be planted into their permanent positions when they are quite small, between 30 and 90cm. We actually plant them out when they are about 5 - 10cm tall. So long as they are given a very good weed-excluding mulch they establish very well. Larger trees will check badly and hardly put on any growth for several years. This also badly affects root development and wind resistance. Cuttings. This method only works when taken from very young trees less than 10 years old. Use single leaf fascicles with the base of the short shoot. Disbudding the shoots some weeks before taking the cuttings can help. Cuttings are normally slow to grow away.

Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Canopy;

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 4-7

Growth: Medium

Soil: Light (sandy), medium

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

The wood, sawdust and resins from various species of pine can cause dermatitis in sensitive people.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

P. strobiformis. non Engelm.