Pinus sylvestris
Common names: Scots pine, Scotch pine, Scots fir
Irish name: péine albanachs
Latin name: Pinus sylvestris
Family: Pinaceae
Origin: Native & introduced
Tree type: Evergreen conifer tree
How it looks
Shape, bark, twigs
Scots pine can grow to 35 meters high. The bark of the scots pine is very distinctive. The top half of the tree has thin, flaky, and orange bark. In contrast, the bark at the tree's base is thick and cracked into orangey-brown scales, which darkens to purple with age. Twigs are green-brown and hairless.
Leaves
The needle-like leaves are 3–8cm long, 1–2mm wide and blue-green. They grow slightly twisted in pairs on short side shoots. Needles are present all year round.
Flowers
Scots pine flower from May to June. They are monoecious, meaning male and female flowers are found on the same tree. Male flowers form clusters of yellow (occasionally crimson) anthers growing at the base of shoots. Female flowers are situated at the tips of new shoots, appearing as small, rosy-purple, globular structures with protruding scales. Pollination is achieved by wind, with pollen being carried from male to female flowers.
Fruits
Once pollinated, the female flowers turn green and gradually develop into mature cones. During this development, the cone grows seeds inside, which takes approximately two years. This means there will always be more than one set of cones on the tree, the younger ripening cones (green) and the older mature cones (grey-brown). When the cones mature and the seeds are ready, they open up. Each cone scale contains a single seed with a leafy wing. Once the seed is released, it is dispersed by the wind, typically travelling up to 175 meters from the parent tree.
Where to find it
Thousands of years ago, the Scots pine was found naturally across Ireland. It was believed that it died out around 2000 years ago, but a study by Trinity College Dublin (McGeever & Mitchell, 2016) found a small selection of trees in Co. Clare that had survived and are considered a native collection of the species. Before this re-discovery of the true native scots pine, there was a widespread reintroduction from Scotland in the 17th century, primarily for plantation purposes.
The Scots pine thrives in light-demanding conditions and is classified as a pioneer species. It prefers sandy and stony, acidic soils with low fertility. Its natural distribution spans 8,000 kilometres, covering the entirety of northern Europe, making it the world's most widely distributed conifer species.
Cultural importance
History
One of the earliest records of human interaction with Scots pine in Ireland is in the form of small lengths of wood burnt at one or both ends dating to the Mesolithic period (c. 8000-4000 BC). These pieces of pine are thought to have been used as fire torches or tapers. In addition, excavations of a late Mesolithic (c. 5000-4000 BC) site in Fanore, Co. Clare produced large amounts of Scots pine charcoal, suggesting that this early community was using it for fuel. It is likely that it was also used to make resin during this period.
As communities grew and became more settled during the Neolithic period (c. 4000-2500 BC) they cut down large areas of woodland to make room for agriculture. Evidence of this large-scale clearance has been found in Midland raised bogs in the form of Scots pine tree-stumps displaying axe-marks and fire-rings. Quantities of charcoal found on other archaeological excavations in Ireland indicate that Scots pine continued to be used for firewood by Neolithic communities. Scots pine pollen, gathered from its cones, is rich in oils and protein and it has been suggested that it was once cooked and eaten by early arrivals to Ireland.
There is little evidence available concerning the uses of Scots pine in later prehistoric periods. However, during the early Medieval period (c. 400-1100 AD), it was considered of great importance and designated as one of the ‘nobles of the wood’ (see Irish Oak for details). This meant that it was a particularly valuable tree, and anyone who unlawfully damaged a pine would be expected to pay a hefty fine in compensation. The pine was deemed particularly useful on account of its resin which was used to make pitch for waterproofing boats and preserving wood. It is thought that the timber of the Scots pine was used during this period in the construction of houses and ship masts. Having become all but extinct by the early Medieval period, its rarity likely also contributed to its value. Thus, it is no wonder that it was also included in the early ogham alphabet where the Scots pine was used to represent the letter 'A':
After the last ice age, around 12,000 years ago, the climate became colder and wetter to the degree that in certain areas many woodlands, including pine, could not survive the waterlogged conditions. Peat accumulated over the remains of these woodlands preserving the stumps and trunks of the fallen trees. There is evidence to suggest that during the nineteenth century this type of bog pine was dug out of the peat and widely used in the construction of houses, while slivers of bog pine were used to make candles. People used bog pine to make a type of rope right up until the 1950s.
Myth, Legend and Folklore
Due to the refreshing scent and brilliant flame it produces when burned, pine is associated in many countries with themes of rebirth, renewal, purification, fertility and eternal life.
As, historically, Scots pine was very rare in Ireland up until it was reintroduced in the eighteenth century, it doesn’t feature significantly in Irish folklore. However, an account obtained from an informant in Cavan in the 1942 suggests that at least in that area, bog pine was used to light fires for midsummer celebrations. While this is perhaps largely due to the availability of bog pine in the area, it is in keeping with similar traditions in Germany and Britanny.
A better-known ceremonial association with the pine is its use as a Christmas tree. Niall Mac Coitir suggests that this tradition, which originated on the continent, may have come from an older belief that the bright flame produced by the pine represented ‘the birth of the new year and the new sun’. Indeed, there are records of pine logs and candles, in particular, being burned in Ireland at Christmas time.
Mac Coitir notes that themes of renewal can also be seen in Scottish Halloween traditions of the past, where pine torches were carried across fields to ‘bless and fertilise’ them. Scottish folktales also tell of burning pine being used to purify and protect a space from ghosts.
In Greek mythology, the pine was associated with the goddess Artemis and pine cones were seen as symbols of fertility. The pine also features to a small extent in the Irish myths. As Mac Coitir relates, the warrior Fionn possessed a pine forest which provided for him and his followers, the Fianna, whenever they could not find any game to hunt elsewhere. Here, the pine appears to be associated with fertility and virility. However, in the story of the lovers Deirdre and Naoise, where on their death, two pine trees grow out of their graves and become entwined, the pine is a symbol of eternal love.
Value to wildlife
Scots pine is Ireland's only native pine tree and one of only three native coniferous trees. Being coniferous, its foliage provides winter cover for many birds. Pinecones produced in the winter are enjoyed by many, including our native red squirrels, and also crossbills, whose crossed mandibles are specially adapted to prise open the tightly fitted scales of the pinecones.
Many insects, most notably beetles, favour the cracks and crevices of the scots pines plated bark, forming a much-loved foraging site for birds such as the treecreeper. Old scots pine trees also support significant bryophyte and lichen communities.
Research done by Trinity College Dublin has shown the importance of scots pine for conserving other native flora and fauna. Scots Pine growing in Ireland today provides a habitat for almost 15% of native Irish plant species.
Threats
In September 2016, Dothistroma Needle Blight was found in Ireland for the first time. It was identified on Scots pine trees in southwest Limerick and northwest Cork. The fungus affects the needles of the infected tree, which eventually shed. This can continue yearly, gradually weakening the tree, which can eventually lead to mortality.
To learn more about threats to Irish trees, visit ‘Threats to Trees.’
Uses
Traditionally, Scots pine has been used for treating inflammation of the upper and lower respiratory tract and also provided relief from rheumatic and neuralgic pain. Its sap, known for its antimicrobial attributes, has been employed for eradicating fungi and bacteria and treating common infections such as colds and influenza. Furthermore, the antioxidant effects of Scots pine have shown promise in mitigating cellular damage induced by free radicals, which are associated with various age-related degenerative diseases.
Scots pine timber is highly valued for its durability and strength among softwoods and is widely used in the construction industry and joinery. It is used to manufacture telegraph poles, gate posts and fencing. Its narrow rings and creamy-white to-yellow colour make it an attractive wood for decking, cladding, and wood-based panels. The tree can also be tapped for the resin to make turpentine, which is used in mixing paints and varnishes. Other uses include rope made from the inner bark, tar from the roots and a dye from the cones. Dry cones can also be utilised as kindling for fires.
References
Burrenbeo Trust. 2023. The Burren Pine Project, Burrenbeo Trust Website. Online: The Burren Pine Project - Burrenbeo Trust
Kelly, F. 1999. Trees in Early Ireland, Augustine Henry Memorial Lecture 11th March 1999, Irish forestry: Journal of the Society of Irish Foresters, 56, pp. 39-57.
Little, A., 2014. Clonava Island revisited: a story of cooking, plants and re-occupation during the Irish Late Mesolithic. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy: Archaeology, Culture, History, Literature, 114(1), pp.35-55.
Lucas, A. T. 1954. Bog Wood: A Study in Rural Economy, Béaloideas , 23, pp. 71-134. URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/20521230
Lynch, M., 2017. The later Mesolithic on the north-west coast of Clare. Archaeology Ireland, 31(4), pp.24-29.
MacCoitir, N. 2015. Ireland’s Trees: Myths, Legends and Folklore. Cork: The Collins Press.
McMahon, P. 2023. Island of Woods: How Ireland Lost Its Forests and How to Get Them Back, Dublin: New Island Books.
Neeson, E. 1991. A History of Irish Forestry, Dublin: The Lilliput Press Ltd.
O’Carroll, E. 2011.Wood Remains, in R.M. Cleary and H. Kelleher (eds.), Archaeological Excavations at Tullahedy, County Tipperary. Cork: The Collins Press
Stroh, P. A., Humphrey, T. A., Burkmar, R. J., Pescott, O. L., Roy, D. B., & Walker, K. J. 2023. BSBI Online Plant Atlas 2020. https://plantatlas2020.org/atlas
Tree Council of Ireland. 2024. Native Irish Trees. Tree Council of Ireland. https://www.treecouncil.ie/native-irish-trees
Woodland Trust. 2024. A-Z of British trees. Woodland Trust. https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/a-z-of-british-trees/