Living Xmas Tree - Pinus pinea ‘Silver Crest’

Origin of Living Xmas Tree - Pinus pinea ‘Silver Crest’

Pinus pinea occurs naturally from southern Europe through the Mediterranean region to Lebanon. It grows naturally in sunny, well-drained places and is the stone pine that produces edible pine nuts.

‘Silver Crest’ is a horticultural name used for this silvery young stone pine; its formal cultivar status is still uncertain.

Long-term care for Pinus pinea ‘Silver Crest’

• Position: Grow the pine outdoors after a short indoor Christmas display.
• Light: Give full sun outdoors. Indoors, place it in a cool position with as much light as possible.
• Temperature: Keep the growing area in the 8–22 °C range and prevent sustained drops below 5 °C. Keep the tree outdoors through the seasons. A small nursery pot can be insulated during severe frost so the root ball is buffered from rapid temperature changes.
• Humidity: Keep ambient humidity in the region of 50–60%.
• Water: Water thoroughly when the root ball has partly dried, then let the pot drain completely.
• Potting mix: Use a very free-draining conifer mix with sand, grit or pumice mixed through it.
• Feeding: Feed lightly while new shoots are growing.
• Shape: Keep the main growing tip intact and let the branches spread naturally as the tree matures.
• Repotting: Move to a larger container when roots fill the pot. Refresh compacted or poorly wetting mix separately when the existing pot still fits the roots.

Troubleshooting Pinus pinea ‘Silver Crest’

• Brown needle tips: The root ball may have dried too far, salts may have built up in the mix, or the roots may be stressed. Check moisture through the whole pot and run plenty of clean water through it if salts have accumulated.
• Needles yellow while the substrate stays wet: The roots may be staying too wet. Let excess water drain and replace a dense or waterlogged mix when needed.
• Sticky shoots or clusters of small sap-feeding insects: Conifer aphids or adelgids may be present. Identify the pest and use a treatment labelled for it at the stated repeat interval.
• Shoot tips die back or needles continue browning outdoors: Insects and needle diseases can look similar. Remove dead material, check drainage and identify the cause before choosing a treatment.

Keep Living Xmas Tree - Pinus Pinea ‘Silver Crest’ away from children and pets

• Keep this plant away from children, cats and dogs.
• Its effects after chewing or swallowing are unclear, and plant material can still cause an upset stomach.
• Contact a veterinarian or medical professional if symptoms develop or do not settle.

How did Pinus pinea get its name?

Pinus is the classical Latin name for a pine tree. The epithet pinea is Latin for pine nut, referring to the species' large edible seeds.

Carl Linnaeus established the genus Pinus in 1753 in Species Plantarum, page 1000.

Carl Linnaeus first described Pinus pinea in 1753 in Species Plantarum, page 1000.