Pinus sylvestris 'AUREA' Scots pine

Scots pine is a European native pine species, and is native in country, too. The green species makes the most beautiful and at the same time the most bizarre specimens in the wild. Aurea is a variety known already since the 19th century and bears 4-5 cm long needles that are bright golden yellow as they emerge and turn slightly paler in summer. In winter the shade gets a bit more pronounced but can never beat the colour of fresh foliage. Mature needles inside the plant are mid green with bluish overlay.

Scots pine often forms picturesque shapes but Aurea grows much slower and remains quite compact and well-behaved in terms of shape. It is widely pyramidal with only a few branches that might be spoiling the fun – those can be cut off at any time if you wish to have a neat looking plant. It reaches only some 4m in maturity and is therefore suitable for small gardens, too. In spring, when new growths emerge, remove them completely or cut them in half to slow down its growth and to make it even bushier.

Scots pines love insolated locations. Before fully established they like equal moisture but later they take long periods of drought probably best of all pines. The soil has to be well-drained, preferably acidic and moderately fertile. It hates over salting so avoid planting next to busy roads where salt is frequently used in winter. Absolutely hardy to approx. -40°C (USDA zone 3).

Last update 09-01-2013