Pinus nigra nigra

Pinus nigra subsp. nigra, the Austrian pine, is an impressive evergreen pine native to the mountain forests of Austria, the Balkans and adjacent areas of central and southern Europe. The species was widely planted in the 18th and 19th centuries for forestation and windbreaks on poor, calcareous soils - a use that highlights how robust and versatile the species is. The growth form is broadly conical in the young stage, with the crown becoming wider and flatter with age. At maturity, the tree grows 20 to 30 metres tall. Available from Smits in an exceptionally wide range of sizes and pruning variants: as a standard tree in trunk circumferences of 35-40 to 80-90 centimetres, as a free plant from 175/200 to 350/400 centimetres in height - all in drkl quality. The trunk has a dark grey-brown, deeply grooved plate-shaped bark that is particularly characteristic and imposing in older specimens. The needles are dark green, in pairs, stiff and relatively long - 8 to 16 centimetres. Those long, dark needles are a distinctive feature compared to other pine species. The cones are 5 to 8 centimetres long, oval and brown. Growth is moderate to quite fast. Pinus nigra nigra has excellent drought tolerance, wind resistance, salt tolerance and good resistance to air pollution. On calcareous soil, it performs better than many other pine species. This broad robustness makes it particularly suitable for urban environments and difficult sites.