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Canary Island Pine
Canary Island Pines in Caldera de Taburiente, La Palma
Conservation status
Least Concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Pinophyta Class: Pinopsida Order: Pinales Family: Pinaceae Genus: Pinus Subgenus: Pinus Species: P. canariensis
Binomial name
Pinus canariensis C.Sm.

The Canary Island Pine (Pinus canariensis) is a species in the genus Pinus, family Pinaceae, native to the outer Canary Islands (Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Gomera, Hierro, La Palma) in the Atlantic Ocean. It is a subtropical pine and does not tolerate low temperatures or hard frost, surviving temperatures down to about −6 to −10 °C. Within its natural area, it grows under extremely variable rainfall regimes, from less than 300 mm to several thousands, mostly due to differences in mist-capturing by the foliage. Under warm conditions, this is one of the most drought tolerant pines, living even with less than 200 mm per year.

It is a large evergreen tree, growing to 30-45 m tall and 1.5 m trunk diameter, exceptionally up to 60 m tall and 2.5 m diameter. The green to yellow-green leaves are needle-like, in bundles of three, 15-30 cm long, with finely toothed margins and often drooping. A characteristic of the species is the occurrence of glaucous (bluish-green) epicormic shoots growing from the lower trunk, but in its natural area this only occurrs as a consequence of fire or other damage. In fact, this pine is one of the most fire-resistant conifers in the world. The cones are 10-23 cm long, glossy chestnut-brown in colour, frequently remaining close for several years (serotinous cones). Its closest relatives are the Chir Pine (Pinus roxburghii) from the Himalaya, the Mediterranean pines Pinus pinea, Pinus halepensis, Pinus pinaster and the Turkish Pine from the eastern Mediterranean.

The native range has been somewhat reduced due to over-cutting so that only the islands of Tenerife and La Palma still have large forests. It is the tallest tree in the Canary Islands.

The aromatic wood, especially the heartwood, is among the finest of pine woods - hard, strong and durable. It is also popular as an ornamental tree in warm climates. In South Africa and Australia, this has become naturalized from landscape use.

trunk

Epicormic shoots

Mature opened female cone

Figure on timber

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Pinus canariensis

• Farjon (2003). Pinus canariensis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern