Siberian Dwarf Pine

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Siberian Dwarf Pine

Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Pinales
Family: Pinaceae
Genus: Pinus
Subgenus: Strobus
Species: P. pumila
Binomial name
Pinus pumila
(Pall.) Regel

The Siberian Dwarf Pine (Pinus pumila) is a native to northeastern Asia, including the islands of Japan. This shrubby pine ranges from 1-3 m in height, exceptionally up to 5 m, but may have individual branches that extend farther along the ground in length.

Pinus pumila in natural habitat, eastern Siberia
Pinus pumila in natural habitat, eastern Siberia

The leaves are needle-like, formed in bundles of five and are 4-6 cm long. The cones are 2.5-4.5 cm long, with large nut-like seeds (pine nuts). The seeds are harvested and dispersed by the Spotted Nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes).

It is also known as the Dwarf Siberian Pine and Japanese Stone Pine.

In the mountains of northern Japan, it sometimes hybridises with the related Japanese White Pine (Pinus parviflora); these hybrids (Pinus x hakkodensis) are larger than P. pumila, reaching 8-10 m tall on occasion.

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