A hardy evergreen pine with orange upper bark, the only native pine of Britain and the most widely distributed pine in the world.
Where it grows
Scots pine has the largest natural range of any pine, stretching from Scotland and the Pyrenees east across Russia to the Pacific coast. It tolerates poor sandy soils, acidic peats, and harsh winters, and is the keystone tree of the ancient Caledonian Forest of the Scottish Highlands.
How to recognise it
The blue-grey needles come in pairs, twisted along their length, and are 4 to 7 centimetres long. The diagnostic mark is the upper trunk and large branches, which flake into vivid copper-orange plates above darker, fissured lower bark. Mature trees often carry flat, rounded crowns above long bare trunks.
Uses
Scots pine timber is sold as European red deal and is the everyday softwood for framing, joinery, flooring, and pulp across Europe. The wood is also tapped for resin in some regions and was historically used for ships masts and tar.
Ecology
The native pinewoods of Scotland support red squirrels, capercaillie, crested tits, and the Scottish wildcat — a Boreal ecosystem clinging to the northwestern edge of Europe.
Find more trees by letter
Scots Pine starts with S and ends with E. Browse other trees along the same letter.
Trees that contain a letter from "Scots Pine":