Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

Korean pine is an East Asian pine with large, edible seeds commonly sold as pine nuts. Korean pine is not native to the United States but is grown there as a cold-hardy ornamental with blue-green needles in bundles of five.

Appearance

Appearance: The blue-green needles grow in bundles of five and show pale bands beneath. The cones are stout and egg-shaped rather than long and narrow.
Growth form: In U.S. landscapes it is often listed at 30–40 ft (9–12 m) tall and 15–20 ft (4.5–6 m) wide, though wild trees can grow much larger.
Fruit: The woody cones mature in their second year. Their large seeds have no functional wings.

Look-alikes

Eastern white pinePinus strobus

Both have five needles per bundle. Eastern white pine has very soft, flexible needles and long, narrow cones, while Korean pine has stouter egg-shaped cones with large wingless seeds.

Why they get mixed upEastern white pine is the familiar five-needle pine across much of the eastern United States.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: U.S. gardens and tree collections
landscaped grounds
Range: Its native range runs from Korea and northeastern China through the Russian Far East to Japan. In the United States it is mainly seen in collections and landscapes rather than in native woods.
Preferred conditions: It grows best in sun and well-drained soil. It is suited to 4–7 and handles cold winters well.

Growing it

Care: Give it room, full sun, and soil that drains well. Mature brown cones hold large edible seeds.
Propagation: The species is commonly propagated from seed.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction

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