Mexican Weeping Pine Pine Data Sheet

• Common name: Mexican weeping pine

• Latin name: Pinus patula

• Genus: Pinus

• Height: 50 m

• Type: Evergreen

• Hardiness: Zone 8–10

• Conservation status: Least concern

Pinus Patula is commonly known as the Mexican weeping pine, is a conifer native to Mexico. It is also planted in Bolivia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Hawaii.

This tree is generally found at Medium to high altitudes, mostly from 1,800 m (5,900 ft) to 2,700 m (8,850 ft).

The Mexican weeping pine is a large evergreen conifer that can reach 50 m (164 ft) tall. The trunk diameter can exceed 2 m. The needles are bundled in sets of four and grow in a drooping fashion to a length of 12 cm. Needle colour varies from light green to dark green. The bark is thin and scaled on juvenile trees, becoming thick and cracked on mature trees. The bark is dark brown with hints of grey. The cones are 20 cm long and start out a medium green colour, maturing to a medium brown when ripe. Cones take 24 months to ripen.

The Mexican weeping pine is closely related to Pinus Greggi and Pinus Pirnglei, which all share many of its characteristics.

The timber is of little value as it is soft and fragile. The heartwood has a pinkish tinge.

This is a striking landscape tree that produces ornamental drooping needles. This tree generally has a straight trunk with little branching. Very good for bonsai.

Pre Germination

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

Keep compost damp, not soaking wet. Never allow it to dry out. 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 the seedlings don't dry out. Water logging should also be avoided; young trees hate wet feet. These seedlings are small 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.

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