Maritime pine is an evergreen pine in the Pinaceae family that is native to southern Europe region and parts of the western Mediterranean. It is grown in its native region for its lumber as well as for the production of turpentine and rosin. It can grow to a height of up to 100 feet, growing with a somewhat straight trunk. It typically has a very open crown of upswept branches. As the tree ages, it will often only have branches at the top 1/3 of the tree. It prefers mild wet winters and hot dry summers, typical of the Mediterranean area. The prickly, straight to slightly curved needles have many stomatal lines on both surfaces and are arranged in clusters of two. The large female cones can stay closed on the tree for several years and often need an event such as a fire to open and disperse seeds. The tree could be grown in the coastal regions of the southeast, but due to high humidity, it is more susceptible to fungal diseases. It would probably do best on the Pacific coast. Choose a native pine for your area for best results. Insect, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This tree is susceptible to wind damage. It has become invasive in parts of Africa. Fungal diseases. See pests of conifers to the left.. 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
Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Mature size
Height: 50 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 4 in. | Width: 16 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Open; Oval; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Needled Evergreen
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Leaf type
Needles
Leaf arrangement
Other/more complex
Leaf shape
Linear
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf feel
Prickly
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Green to yellow-green needles are 4 to 8 inches long with finely serrated margins in clusters of 2 but sometimes 3. Many stomatal lines are present on both surfaces
Flower size
3-6 inches
Flower detail
No flowers
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Green
Fruit size
> 3 inches long
Fruit detail
Produces cones. The seed cones are 4-8 inches long and green turning to a chestnut brown They take 2 years to mature and then open slowly to release seed over a period of time.
Bark color
Black; Dark Brown; Red/Burgundy
Bark detail
Thick, scaly, fissured pattern
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
France, Spain and Portugal
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.
Attracts
Moths; Small Mammals; Songbirds
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Meadow; Naturalized Area; Recreational Play Area; Woodland