Pinus longaeva

Few trees have a life as long as the Pinus longaeva. His surname already tells us: it is a long-lived species. But it is also incredibly slow, and with good reason: in its natural habitat it is so cold and for so long that it can barely grow four inches a year… and that is in good years; in the bad ones, it is rare that it grows five centimeters if it arrives.

The beauty of this tree lies not in its speed, but in its strength; in fact, it is one of the few we will see growing in the high mountains of the southwestern United States, where it forms part of landscapes that are covered in snow for months.

What is the origin and characteristics of the Pinus longaeva?

El Pinus longaeva, or long-lived pine, is a conifer native to the mountainous regions of the United States. It can reach a height of 5 to 15 meters, with a trunk diameter between 2,5 and 3,6 meters whose bark is bright yellow-orange. The leaves are acicular, characteristics that it shares with the rest of the pines, rigid, dark green to bluish green and with a length of 2,5 to 4 centimeters. These remain on the plant for up to 45 years before falling off.

The cones or pineapples have a cylindrical-ovoid shape, measure 5 to 10 centimeters long by 3 to 4 centimeters wide when they are still closed, and mature in about 16 months. Once they have done so, they measure 4-6 centimeters wide, and release the seeds, which are winged and measure 5 millimeters.

Their life expectancy exceeds 5000 years.. We know this because on August 6, 1964, a specimen called Prometheus was cut, which had germinated around 3037 BC. C. The author of that felling was Donald Currey, a postgraduate student who died in 2004, at the age of 70, who did it to investigate it.

What uses is it given?

The long-lived pine is given a single use: the ornamental. It is a tree that does not produce pretty flowers and that grows very, very slowly, but as long as the climate is right, it is interesting to be able to enjoy the beauty of a species capable of living for millennia.

What are the care of the Pinus longaeva?

It is a tree that must be placed outside, either in full sun if the climate is typically mountainous (cold), or in semi-shade if it is rather temperate/mild. It grows in fertile soils, slightly acidic, and with a good capacity to drain water. It can also be kept in a pot for many years with mulch mixed with 30% perlite, for example.

If we talk about watering, it will be moderate. It is important to prevent both the soil from drying out and from remaining waterlogged for too long.. For this reason, I recommend watering about three times a week during the summer, and between one and two times a week the rest of the year. In addition, it will appreciate a little organic fertilizer every fortnight during the warm season.

Resists frosts down to -30ºC, but the maximum temperature should not exceed 20ºC.