Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica Litv.) is an evergreen tree that reaches a height of 15-25 meters, with some specimens growing up to 30 meters. Its crown is elliptical or conical in shape. The trunk is erect, with dark brown bark below 3-4 meters, deeply fissured in a scale-like pattern. The needles are arranged in bundles of two, rigid, often slightly twisted, and pointed at the tip. It is a monoecious species, with male cones oval-shaped and yellow, clustered on the lower part of the current year's branches, and female cones spherical or oval-shaped, purplish-brown. The cones are elongated ovoid. The cone scales are oblique and have longitudinal and transverse ridges, with a lumpy protrusion at the scale navel. The seeds are small and come in various colors such as yellow, brown, or dark brown, with membranous wings.

Scots Pine is found in the mountainous regions of the Greater Khingan Range in Heilongjiang, China, at elevations of 400-900 meters, as well as in sandy areas west and south of Hailar. It is commonly used for landscaping and afforestation purposes. The tree grows rapidly, has good wood quality, and exhibits strong adaptability, making it suitable for afforestation in the northeastern Greater Khingan Mountains and the western sandy regions.

Morphological characteristics:

Scots Pine is a tall tree, reaching up to 25 meters in height and 80 centimeters in diameter at breast height. The bark of mature trees is thick, with the lower part grayish-brown or blackish-brown, deeply fissured into irregular scale-like patches that peel off. The upper bark and branch bark are yellow to brownish-yellow, with a golden color on the inner side and peeling into thin flakes. The branches are inclined or horizontal, and the crown of young trees is pointed or conical, while older trees have a rounded or flat top and sparse crown. The color of the one-year-old branches is light yellowish-brown and hairless, turning grayish-brown in the second and third years. The winter buds are brown or light yellowish-brown, elongated-ovate in shape, and resinous. The seeds are blackish-brown, elongated-ovate or inverted-ovate, slightly flattened, measuring 4.5-5.5 millimeters in length, with wings measuring 1.1-1.5 centimeters. There are 6-7 cotyledons, measuring 1.3-2.4 centimeters in length. The primary needles are linear, measuring 1.8-2.4 centimeters in length, with a groove on the upper surface and closely spaced fine serrations on the edges. The leaf surface also has scattered teeth and hairs. The flowering period is from May to June, and the cones mature in September to October of the second year.

The female cones, cone scales, twig color, and needle texture of Scots Pine resemble those of European Red Pine, but Scots Pine has thicker and deeply fissured bark in the lower part of mature trees, which is grayish-brown or blackish-brown. The upper bark peels off in thin flakes and is yellow to brownish-yellow. The length of the needles varies greatly, with the longest reaching up to 12 centimeters and a diameter of 1.5-2 millimeters. The color of winter buds also differs, being light brownish-yellow. The tree form of Scots Pine varies depending on the growth environment. Trees in the Greater Khingan Mountains have a pointed or conical crown and tall, straight trunks, while trees in the sandy areas west and south of Hailar have flat tops and shorter trunks.

Growth habits:

Scots Pine is a light-demanding, stress-tolerant, and deep-rooted species that can adapt to ridges with limited soil moisture, sunny slopes, as well as dry sandy and gravelly soils. It often forms pure stands or grows mixed with larch. Scots Pine is highly cold-resistant and can withstand temperatures as low as -40 to -50℃. It is drought-tolerant and not demanding of soil moisture. It can grow well on nutrient-poor sandy and rocky soils with thin soil layers. It can adapt to different environmental conditions on sandy soils, even on the most unfavorable hilltops. It also grows well on sandy soils in areas such as Yulin and Ejin Horo Banner. Excessive waterlogged or waterlogged areas are not conducive to its growth, and it prefers acidic or slightly acidic soil. Scots Pine has a long lifespan, typically reaching 150-200 years, with some trees living up to 250 years.

Geographical distribution:

Scots Pine is mainly distributed in the forests of the Greater Khingan Range, with continuous patches from Mo'ergata, Jinhe, and Genhe in the west to Xinlin and north of Huma, and belt-shaped or block-shaped distributions in the areas south and west of Yitulihe, Mianduhe, Aershan, and Honghua'erji. It is also concentrated in the sandy areas west and south of Hailar. It is also found in Mongolia.

Main values:

Scots Pine is a major fast-growing timber species, valuable for afforestation, soil and water conservation in the northeastern region of China. It has strong wood with straight grain and is suitable for construction and furniture materials. The tree can be tapped for resin, from which turpentine and rosin can be extracted. The bark can be used for tannin extraction. Scots Pine has an attractive tree form and trunk, making it suitable for garden landscaping and afforestation. Due to its cold resistance, drought tolerance, adaptability to poor and thin soils, and wind resistance, it is the main species used for protective forests and sand-fixation afforestation in the Three-North regions. After successful afforestation on sandy land, as the trees grow, wind erosion is reduced, and the accumulation of dead branches and leaves helps in changing the environment. The needles of Scots Pine have high nutritional value, with crude protein content comparable to that of grasses and a relatively high crude fat content of around 5%. They also contain various trace elements and vitamins.

   

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