Pinus pinea aka Umbrella Pine

Pinus pinea is an evergreen tree in the pine family. Names include stone pine, Italian stone pine, and umbrella pine. Its native range runs from southern Europe to Lebanon. It grows on coastal dunes and low Mediterranean hills. People have moved it around for thousands of years. This long history makes its original range hard to trace.

Garden trees reach about 40–66 feet (12–20 metres) tall. Their crowns can spread to 40 feet (12.19 metres). Some sources report trees reaching 80 feet (25 metres). Rare trees reach 120 feet (36.6 metres). Young trees have a round, bushy shape. With age, a thick trunk supports a broad, umbrella-like crown. Lower branches may fall away as the tree grows. Older bark has red-brown plates, grey patches, and deep cracks. Stout twigs bear buds with red-brown scales.

The needles grow in pairs and stay through winter. Young needles have a dull, grey wax coat. Older needles turn dark green and gain a gloss. They are stiff, twisted, and sharp at the tips. This conifer makes cones, not flowers or true fruit. Its oval cones turn glossy brown as they mature. Cones take three years to ripen and contain large seeds. These cream-coloured seeds are the pine nuts sold for food. People eat them raw, roast them, or add them to dishes. Ground young cones also serve as a flavouring.

Plant stone pine in full sun with good soil drainage. It accepts sand, loam, clay, and a broad pH range. Avoid sites where water stays in the soil. Established trees withstand drought and resist deer browsing. Missouri Botanical Garden notes a preference for cool summers. Oregon State also reports that the tree tolerates heat. It suits USDA zones 8–10 and has RHS rating H4. It needs little upkeep and no routine pruning. It may take more than 50 years to mature.

Use it as a specimen, screen, or group planting. Its size makes it unsuitable for small gardens. The needles yield dye; resin goes into wax and varnish. Dry cones suit flower arrangements, and foliage supports moth larvae. Wind can damage the tree. Pests include scale, aphids, sawflies, borers, and shoot moths. Diseases include needle blights, honey fungus, rusts, and rots. The evidence confirms edible seeds but does not establish whole-plant safety.