Stone pine
Pinus pinea
The edible seeds, known as pignoli, have been a human food source for over 6,000 years and are the key ingredient in traditional pesto.
- Scientific name
- Pinus pinea
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Pinopsida › Pinales › Pinaceae › Pinus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Coastal dunes, sandy soils, and sun-baked Mediterranean scrublands.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (Photosynthesis)
- Range
- Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, North Africa
- Size
- 12 - 25 meters tall with a signature flat-topped, umbrella-like canopy.
- Lifespan
- 150 - 250 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation from coastal development, invasive Western Conifer Seed Bugs, and specialized fungal pathogens.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless and safe to approach. Avoid standing directly beneath heavy cones during high winds as they may fall. Resin is sticky but non-toxic; wash skin with oil or soap if contact occurs.
The stone pine , botanical name Pinus pinea , also known as the Italian stone pine , umbrella pine and parasol pine , is a tree from the pine family ( Pinaceae ). The tree is native to the Mediterranean region, occurring in Southern Europe, Israel, Lebanon and Syria. It is also naturalized in North Africa, the Canary Islands, South Africa and New South Wales. The species was introduced into North Africa millennia ago, such a long time that it is essentially...
Photo: Paul Asman and Jill Lenoble, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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