Radiata Pine

(PINUS RADIATA)

STATUS:     Undeclared Weed.
STEMS:     Grows to 40m, with dark grey deeply ridged bark. It has a strong pine fragrance, and the whole tree is resinous and sticky.
LEAVES:     Leaves are soft dark green twisted needles, growing in groups of three. New shoots grow vertically at first (‘candles’).
FLOWERS:     Inconspicuous small flowering cones which may take two to three years to mature.
FRUIT / SEED:     Winged paper thin seeds are contained in oval pine cones, 8-14cm long.
INVADES:     Native forests flanking softwood plantations, heathland, woodland, forests and riparian vegetation.
DISPERSAL:     Vegetatively and wind.
CONTROL:     Hand pulling, chemical spraying, cut and paint or burning.  These trees can be ring-barked or cut down too.