There are two varieties of Pine tree which are either native to the British Isles or have been introduced and naturalized to the extent that they can be classed as British tree species.
While the generic name for this species is Pine, the Scots Pine (or Pinus Sylvestris ) does differ from the Corsican Pine (or Pinus Nigra ) in several ways.
What The Pine Tree Looks Like
The Corsican Pine is the larger of the two species as it usually grows to a height between 18 and 45 metres, while the Scots Pine is slightly smaller with an average height of 12 to 36 metres.
The similarities between the two mean that it is sometimes difficult to tell the species apart just from looking at them. The important visual differences are clearest in the trunks, while the Scots Pine has a deep orange colour on the upper stem the Corsican Pine is a grey shade.
There is also a small difference in the needle colouration; the Scots Pine’s needles are more of a blue shade than the Corsican Pine’s dark green needles.
Both species are evergreen conifers from the Pinaceae family with needle shaped leaves, although the Scots Pine has slightly shorter leaves than the Corsican Pine in keeping with the general size of the respective plants.
These two Pine species each prefer sandy sites and are strong enough to withstand drought conditions. Pine tree wood is very popular in furniture and flooring for its natural light shade.
Pine Tree Facts
The Scots Pine is native to the British Isles, specifically Scotland, but the Corsican Pine was introduced to Britain and it is native to southern Europe, particularly parts of Italy.
Although it is native to Britain, the Scots Pine can also be found across parts of Europe and Asia.The Corsican Pine is noted for the volatile oils which are part of the plant and mean that the trees can cause an increased chance of forest fires when it grows in particularly hot and dry conditions.
This species is usually planted found in forests which have the desired sandy soil and these trees make excellent windbreaks because of their great height and sturdy disposition.
The Scots Pine provides one of the strongest softwoods available so it is popular in the construction industry as well as being used for telegraph poles, charcoal, railway sleepers and fences while the resin is an important component in turpentine.
Wordsworth even described it as one of the most attractive trees and in Celtic times there was some spiritual significance to the tree.
