Pinus sibirica seed
LATIN NAME: PINUS SIBIRICA
COMMON NAME: Siberian Pine, Siberian Cedar
The Pinus sibirica, or Siberian pine, is one of the most majestic and important of the cold-climate pines, and its tall, conical habit, its dark-green, five-needled foliage and its large, edible pine nuts have made it a tree of the boreal forests and the large gardens across the cold regions of the Eurasia. It grows as a large, evergreen conifer of the pine family, reaching up to thirty-five metres or more, with the thick, dark-grey, furrowed bark and the tall, conical crown bearing the dark-green, five-needled, stiff needles in the dense clusters, and bearing the large, erect, purple-brown cones which contain the large, edible, wingless pine nuts. It is a species of the conifer, native to the boreal forests and the cold mountains of the Siberia and the Mongolia, while it has been cultivated for its timber and its edible nuts, and it is known as the Siberian pine or the Siberian cedar.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
The Siberian pine has a real and distinguished place in research. It has been studied in the forestry and the cold-region science, since the Pinus sibirica is a major timber and nut tree of the boreal forests, and the researchers have examined its growth, its wood properties and its role in the boreal ecosystems, while the study of the boreal trees has drawn attention in the international forestry and ecological press. The plant has also been studied in the food science and the nutrition, since the Siberian pine produces the large, edible pine nuts which are a valuable food, and the researchers have examined the nuts, their composition and their nutrition, while the study of the edible nuts has been of continuing interest. The species has also been studied in the ecology and the conservation, since it is a key tree of the boreal forests and a habitat for the wildlife, and its role in the ecosystems and its conservation have been examined, while the dark-green, five-needled foliage and the large cones of the Siberian pine have been of interest to the botanists and the foresters. For a tree of such majesty, the Pinus sibirica has a rich and distinguished record of research.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
To grow the Siberian Pine from seed, the Siberian pine is a large, evergreen conifer of the boreal forests, bearing the dark-green, five-needled needles and the large, purple-brown cones with the edible pine nuts. Its pine nuts are a major food for the birds, the squirrels and the bears, and its tall, conical crown gives a fine presence in the large garden and the park, while its tolerance of the cold makes it a valuable tree for the boreal landscape. Its economic value is real: the Siberian pine is prized for its valuable timber and its edible pine nuts, and its value has drawn attention in the international forestry and food press, while the large, edible nuts and the majestic habit have made it a tree of interest to the foresters and the large-garden enthusiasts, and the tree is a fine addition to the large garden, the park and the woodland. To raise the Siberian pine, sow the seeds in pots of moist, open soil in a cool, bright place, keep them gently watered, and grow the little trees on in the light.
sow the seeds in pots of moist, open soil in a cool, bright place, keep the young pine gently watered, and grow the little trees on in the light.
Siberian cedar/Pinus Sibirica
The Siberian Pine is a useful ornamental tree for parks and gardens in ares where the climate is cold, growing at a steady rate on a wide range of sites. It is very tolerent of winter cold and wind exposure and is hardy down to at least -60C.
It can grow up to between 30 -40 meters in height with a trunk up to 1.5 meter diameter. It is also long lived with a possible lifespan up to 850 years. Closely related to the Swiss Pine (pinus cembra)
Seeds of the Siberian Pine have a deeper dormancy than most pine species. This dormancy can be broken down by a period of cold stratification in the fridge.
You can easily do this by first soaking the seeds in water for 24 hours. Fully drain away all of the water and place the seeds in a zip-lock freezer bag. Place the seeds in the fridge, it is important that during this period that the seeds do not dry out or are waterlogged otherwise the pretreatment will be ineffective. Alternatively the seeds can be mixed together after soaking with a 50/50 mix of moist compost and sharp sand to help maintain moisture around the seeds for the pretreatment.
This pretreatment needs to last for between 16 and 20 weeks before the dormancy is broken down and the seeds are ready to be sown. In general many seeds will fail to germinate unless treated in this way, simply sowing untreated seeds in compost at room temperature will not break down the dormancy and germination will be disappointing.
Fill your chosen container with a good quality general potting compost. Suitable containers could be plant pots, seed trays or plug trays or even improvised containers with drainage holes. Firm the compost gently and sow the seeds on the surface. If you are sowing in plug trays, sow 2 or 3 seeds per cell.
Cover the seeds with a couple of millimetres of vermiculite or failing that a fine layer of sieved compost. Follow with a gentle watering and keep them at room temperature. Germination will begin a few weeks from sowing.
The seedlings are reasonably robust and trouble free and usually grow to a height of between 3 and 5 cm in the first growing season depending on the sowing date and cultural techniques. Densely sown seedlings are at risk from fungal diseases such as “damping off” which can cause rapid loss of many seedlings.
Developing seedlings should be fine in full sun, keep them well watered and free of competing weeds. Growth will accelerate in the second and subsequent years and the developing young trees should be re-potted as necessary preferably during the dormant season. After perhaps 3 or more years they are ready to be planted in their permanent position.