Blue Pine

Botanical Name: Pinus Wallichiana
Common Names: Himalayan Pine, Butan Pine
Growth Rate: Moderate to slow
Site Requirements: Sun to partial shade, well drained soil, good wind tolerance, tolerates seasonal wet soil and drought
Texture: Medium
Form: Graceful, upright, loosely and broadly pyramidal when young, often retains lower branches, wide spreading with pendulous branches with age.

Blue pine is an evergreen tree growing to 25m by 10m at a fast rate. It is in leaf all year, in flower from May to June, and the seeds ripen September to October. The flowers are monoecious and are pollinated by wind. Flowers are cylindrical cones, pendulous and turn brown with age. It comprises of a five-needle pine with a bluish hue on its foliage. Branches are whorled and leaves arranged in spirals.

The plant prefers light, medium and heavy soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow heavy clay and nutritionally poor soils. It cannot grow in shade.

Dried blue pine forms beautiful dried flower arrangements. They are dried and used for a number of medicinal purposes and also used for cosmetics and packing purposes.