Description
Pinus nigra calabrica – Black pine
Short description: The black pine is the toughest and most adaptable pine species for Central European conditions – with dark green, vigorous needles, a striking silhouette, and a tolerance for the most challenging sites that is second to none. The Calabrian provenance is considered particularly vigorous and shapely. As a specimen tree, windbreak, or for slope restoration, it is unbeatable in reliability.
- grows up to 50 m tall
- subspecies laricio very drought-tolerant
- no heavy soils
- frost-hardy after the juvenile stage
- tolerant of air pollution
- good growth performance
Climatic characteristics & site conditions: The black pine tolerates lime, drought, heat, urban climates, and exposed windy sites extremely well – qualities that make it one of the most important reforestation tree species on calcareous sites in southern Germany. It has proven itself for decades on the Swabian Alb, in the Franconian Jura, and in the Muschelkalk regions. Winter-hardy down to –25 °C. It grows poorly on waterlogged or very acidic soils.
Advantages: Extremely robust on calcareous and dry sites, lime-tolerant, tolerant of exposed windy sites, evergreen, attractive dark silhouette, inexpensive and proven.
Disadvantages: Requires a lot of space, less suitable on acidic or waterlogged soils, needle litter can acidify the soil, not a shrub for small gardens, not native in Calabrian provenance.
