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EXPLORE > PLANTS > GYMNOSPERMS
Pinus contorta var. contorta
Often found clinging to the rocks or dunes at the very edge of the ocean, the shore pine is a small but hearty conifer. It can easily adapt to a variety of soil types, moisture levels, and salt spray. And while the persistent ocean winds may twist it into unusual shapes, it is well-adapted to withstand the often brutal weather of the Pacific Northwest coast.
The pine rarely grows taller than 65 feet (20 m) and almost always has a crooked trunk and irregularly shaped crown. Its bright green needles grow in paired groups, and like the rest of the tree, are often twisted. Pollen and seed cones will grow at the very tips of each branch starting in early Spring. To help protect the tree from the elements, the bark grows in scaly plates reminiscent of armor.
Native people often used the tree’s pitch (a sticky resinous substance produced by some plants) as an adhesive or to waterproof baskets and canoes. The seeds are often collected and eaten by birds and rodents. Because of the tree’s ability to grow into unusual, stunted shapes, it is frequently used in the Japanese art of bonsai.
Pinus contorta, more commonly known as the lodgepole pine, is a related species.
Distribution
The shore pine can be found throughout the Pacific Northwest, from northern California to Alaska. It can be found all along the Oregon coast, growing under a variety of conditions. Inland, it can be found in the Willamette Valley and the Cascade Mountain Range, where it seems to prefer growing on old volcanic deposits.
Conservation Status
Common.
Pinus contorta var. contorta
Often found clinging to the rocks or dunes at the very edge of the ocean, the shore pine is a small but hearty conifer. It can easily adapt to a variety of soil types, moisture levels, and salt spray. And while the persistent ocean winds may twist it into unusual shapes, it is well-adapted to withstand the often brutal weather of the Pacific Northwest coast.
The pine rarely grows taller than 65 feet (20 m) and almost always has a crooked trunk and irregularly shaped crown. Its bright green needles grow in paired groups, and like the rest of the tree, are often twisted. Pollen and seed cones will grow at the very tips of each branch starting in early Spring. To help protect the tree from the elements, the bark grows in scaly plates reminiscent of armor.
Native people often used the tree’s pitch (a sticky resinous substance produced by some plants) as an adhesive or to waterproof baskets and canoes. The seeds are often collected and eaten by birds and rodents. Because of the tree’s ability to grow into unusual, stunted shapes, it is frequently used in the Japanese art of bonsai.
Pinus contorta, more commonly known as the lodgepole pine, is a related species.
Distribution
The shore pine can be found throughout the Pacific Northwest, from northern California to Alaska. It can be found all along the Oregon coast, growing under a variety of conditions. Inland, it can be found in the Willamette Valley and the Cascade Mountain Range, where it seems to prefer growing on old volcanic deposits.
Conservation Status
Common.
