Chinese Red Pine Data Sheet

• Common name: Chinese red pine

• Latin name: Pinus massoniana

• Genus: Pinus

• Height: 45 m (148 ft)

• Type: Evergreen

• Hardiness: Zone 8

• Conservation status: Least concern

Pinus Massoniana, commonly known as the Chinese red pine, is a conifer native to Asia. Its range extends across southern China, Hong Kong and Vietnam.

This tree is generally found at low to medium altitudes, mostly from 1,500 m (4,900 ft) to 2,000 m (6,600 ft).

The Chinese red pine is a medium to large sized tree with a large crown, reaching a height of 45 m (148 ft). The bark is grey-orange and very thick and scaled. The needles are arranged in pairs and are 20 cm long with a rich dark green colour. The mature pine cones are deep brown in colour and scaled. The 7 cm long cones have a winged seed behind each scale. The cones take around 20 months to mature from pollination, immature cones have a light lime green colour.

It can live up to 800 years.

The Chinese red pine is closely related to the Chinese white pine, which all share many of its characteristics.

The timber from this species is used for paper making. The needles are used for adding flavor to tea. This tree is a good choice for garden landscaping as it has a thick wide crown. It is very popular with bonsai growers too.

Pre Germination

These seeds need no pretreatment or stratification before sowing. Fill trays or pots with quality compost and firm down gently. Spread the seeds across the surface; around 25 in a 10 cm pot is ideal. Cover with 3 mm of compost and gently firm down.

Compost should always be damp, not soaking wet. Never allow it to dry. Place pots or trays on a warm windowsill or in a warm conservatory. Germination should occur at 1–3 weeks.

Post Germination

Once seedlings appear, keep them in a well-ventilated area to reduce the risk of damping off disease. Place in bright conditions, a windowsill is ideal. Ensure they don't dry out. Water logging should also be avoided; young trees hate wet feet. These seedlings are large and sturdy and will give you little hassle. They can be separated into their own 4" pots at 15–20 weeks; by this stage they are frost hardy and can stay outside all year. Fertilization is not required up to this point. During spring and summer we advise using an NPK 10-10-10 fertilizer every 4 weeks.

CAUTION: Slugs and snails love juicy young pines and spruce. Mice take seeds too.

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