Choose a location with well-drained soil in full sun. Does best in cool summer climates. Its form will be conical when young, with whorled and upward-curving branches. Does best in cool summer climates, does not grow well in hot, humid areas of the south USA. Noted for its decorative purple cones. Bright yellow pollen cones grow in dense clusters at the base of the shoot. Seed cones grow in clusters of 2-4 on short peduncles. They will open when ripe. Insect, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Although there are few problems with this plant, it is susceptible to tip blight, rusts, and rots. Insect issues include sawflies, moths, beetles, bagworms, and borers. This tree is susceptible to wind damage. More information on Pinus .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
2 - Understory
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Oval; Pyramidal
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Needled Evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Needles
Leaf feel
Prickly
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Glossy, dark green, stiff 3 in. needles in bundles of 2. Not clustered at ends of branches. Prickly.
Flower color
Blue; Brown/Copper; Purple/Lavender
Flower value
Showy
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
1 to 3 in. cones single or cluster of 2 to 3
Bark color
Dark Gray; Light Gray
Bark detail
Ridged and furrowed, flaking to leave yellow patches.
Stem detail
Branches are whorled and upward curving on young trees.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Balkans, Italy and Greece
Wildlife value
This plant supports Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed.