Common Name: Chinese red pine
Type: Needled evergreen
Family: Pinaceae
Native Range: China, Korea
Zone: 5 to 7
Height: 30.00 to 50.00 feet
Spread: 15.00 to 20.00 feet
Bloom Time: Non-flowering
Bloom Description: Non-flowering
Sun: Full sun
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Medium
Leaf: Evergreen
Other: Winter Interest
Tolerate: Deer
Culture
Grow in fertile, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates some light afternoon shade.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Pinus tabuliformis, commonly called Chinese pine, is a conical evergreen pine that is native to northern China. It typically grows to 50-70’ tall in its native habitat, but is usually seen much smaller in cultivation. It tends to develop a somewhat flattened and spreading crown with age, hence the specific epithet of tabuliformis (table-shaped). Needles (to 6” long) in bundles of two (sometimes three) are an attractive dark green. Oval, brown cones to 3.5” long. Mature trees have reddish-scaled bark in the crown and fissured, dark gray bark near the ground.
Var. mukdensis is native to North Korea. This variety primarily differs from the species by having cones with broader scales.
Genus name comes from the Latin name for pines.
Specific epithet means table-shaped.
Problems
Healthy, well-maintained trees usually have few major problems. These trees may struggle in the St. Louis area where environmental conditions do not favor most conifers.
Uses
Specimen pine. May be difficult to locate in commerce.