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Scots Pine

A native conifer of the British Isles, that formed the main part of ancient forests in Scotland.

Average height Up to 36 metres tall

Evergreen, blue green pine needles, that grow in pairs with woody pine cones

Latin name; Pinus sylvestris

Distribution; The tree was the main native tree in the ancient forests of Scotland. Prevalent across the north of the British Isles.

It is the national tree of Scotland and once made up much of the vast Caledonian Forest, that covered great swathes of the Scottish Highlands. Only 1% of this ancient forest survives today.

The tree can live to over 300 years old.

The tree can thrive in harsh conditions at high elevation or locations with poor soil.

The Scots Pine can support a range of wildlife. The cones are popular with Red squirrels. Birds that can be found near Scots Pines include Siskin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Crested tit and Crossbills. The branches can support nests for Golden Eagles and Osprey. Black Grouse and Capercaillie live in the pine forests of Scotland, and they both eat the seeds from the pine cones of ther Scots Pine.

Scots Pines are also grown for commercial use. The timber has a red/yellow colour and is used for house building and furniture manufacturing as well as pulp for paper production. The tree was used to make ships, as the timber is water resistant. The sap was used as tar before the industrial revolution and it is also possible to produce turpentine and rosin from it.

Credit: NJ Pringle