Macedonian pine

Macedonian pine: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Narrow, conical to columnar tree 15–20 m tall and about 8 m wide, with a dense crown full of short side branches.

Needles

Five per bundle, 7–12 cm long, flexible and blue-green with white lines on the inner side.

Cones

Slim, cylindrical cones of 8–15 cm, hanging and resinous; they ripen in autumn of the second year.

Bark

Smooth and grey-green when young, cracking into small blocks and darkening on older trees.

Roots

A deep root system; it transplants best when young.

Plants: April–May and September–October

Why grow it?

• A narrow, handsome shape: it takes up less room than most other tall pines.
• Soft, blue-green needles and long hanging cones are a talking point all year.
• Fully hardy and reliable, even in severe winters.
• Little affected by white pine blister rust, a disease that can strike other five-needle pines.
• An evergreen screen and structure in large gardens and parks, and a shelter for birds.

Macedonian pine: where does it grow best?

• Sun to half shade; in full sun it grows best and keeps a dense crown.
• Well-drained sandy, loamy or clay soil, acid to chalky; it is not fussy as long as water does not stand.
• Normal moisture; it tolerates drought and damp soil fairly well, but not waterlogged ground.
• Allow at least 6–8 m of free space; it reaches 20 m, so keep it away from houses, pipes and boundaries.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal

Size

20 m tall, 8 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -35 °C)

Goes well with

• Birch: Light foliage and white trunks make a lovely contrast with the dark pine.
• Rhododendron: An evergreen underplanting that flowers in May and likes acid soil.
• Holly: An evergreen shrub with red berries, a good companion for the winter garden.
• Ferns: Fresh, green underplanting in the half shade at the foot of the tree.

Macedonian pine: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May and September–October.

1. Plant in April–May or in September–October, preferably a young container or rootballed tree. Do not let the rootball dry out.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the rootball and just as deep. Loosen the sides with the spade.
3. Set the pine at the same depth as in its pot, with the root collar level with the soil. Do not plant deeper.
4. Backfill, firm lightly and give it a generous watering.
5. Spread wood chips or pine bark around the base, but not against the trunk, and keep the soil moist for the first years.

Care

Water

In the first two summers, water generously once a week in dry weather. After that it manages on rain.

Feeding

Usually not needed. On very poor soil a little compost in spring is enough.

Mulching

A layer of wood chips or pine bark keeps the soil moist and suppresses weeds. Keep it away from the trunk.

Needles and cones

Every autumn old needles fall and the cones open: sweep them up or leave them as natural mulch.

Protect the trunk

Protect young trees from mowers and strimmers: trunk wounds heal slowly.

Tip: Plant it in an open, sunny spot with 6–8 m of free space: it then stays dense from bottom to top. A young tree of 1–1.5 m settles in best.

Macedonian pine: when to prune it?

When: It normally needs no pruning. Dead or damaged branches can be removed from winter to early spring.

How:

• Cut dead, broken or crossing branches back to the trunk.
• Always keep one continuous leader: never cut off the top.
• To raise the lower crown for access, remove low branches while they are still thin.

Caution: Never cut into bare, brown wood without needles or buds: a pine will not sprout again from it.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed

Sow in autumn in a tray outdoors, or chill the seed moist in the fridge for a few weeks and sow in spring. Seedlings grow slowly at first.

Buying

Nurseries raise the species from seed. A young tree of 1–1.5 m is the quickest and settles in most easily.

Macedonian pine: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −35 °C.

• Fully hardy, to about −35 °C: no protection is needed in Flanders.
• Its narrow crown holds little snow, so snow breakage is rarely a problem.
• Still keep the soil around young trees a little moist during a long, dry, cold spell.

Diseases and pests

• White pine blister rust: Orange blisters or swellings on branches, with dying tips above. It is little affected; cut affected branches well back into healthy wood.
• Woolly aphids: White, woolly patches on shoots and needles. Wash them off with a jet of water or dab them with soapy water.
• Resin bleeding: Resin on the trunk or branches after a wound or insect damage. This is normal and the tree seals the wound itself; look for the cause if there is a lot.
• Drought stress: Needles turning yellow or brown after planting. Water a young tree generously in a dry summer and mulch the base.

Through the year

• March: Remove dead or damaged branches. Planting is possible from late March.
• April: Plant. Apply mulch.
• May: Plant. Water young trees in dry weather.
• June: Water young trees in dry weather.
• July: Water young specimens. Watch for woolly aphids.
• August: Water during prolonged drought.
• September: Plant. Water regularly after planting.
• October: Plant. The cones ripen.
• November: Clear fallen needles. Check the trunks of young trees.
• December: Rest. Shake heavy snow off the branches.

Did you know?

• The species name peuce comes from the Greek peukē, ‘pine’.
• In the wild it grows in the mountains of the Balkans, often well above 1,000 m.
• It belongs to the same group of five-needle pines as the Weymouth pine and the Bhutan pine.