Pinus banksiana
Common name
jack pine, grey pine, scrub pine
Family
Pinaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Gymnosperms
Conservation status
Not applicable
Habitat
Terrestrial.
Detailed description
Small widespreading, open tree to 10 m high. Branches very irregular, often curved. Leaves two per fascicle, 1–5 cm × 1.5–2 mm, curved or twisted, lying at different angles to the shoot, deep green, rigid and pungent. Male cones 1 cm long broadly cylindrical. Female cones 2.5–5.5 × 1.7–2.5 cm, persistent for many years and usually remaining closed, usually curved towards the narrow apex, pale or yellowish-brown. Seed wing broadly asymmetric, 0.5–1 cm long.
Similar taxa
Pinus banksiana is easily recognised by the smooth, elongated tapering, curved cones which remain on the tree until they sometimes cover the twisted branches down to the trunk.
Flower colours
No flowers
Life cycle
Perennial
Year naturalised
1957
Origin
Northern N. America
Reason for introduction
Forestry
Etymology
banksiana: Named after Sir Joseph Banks, 1st Baronet, GCB, PRS (24 February 1743 - 19 June 1820) was an English naturalist, botanist and patron of the natural sciences.
CONIFER IDENTIFICATION
The National Wilding Conifer Control Programme team at Biosecurity New Zealand, a branch of Ministry for Primary Industries, has produced this wilding conifer quick ID guide.