Scots Pine

Pinus sylvestris

Pinaceae · coniferous tree · introduced

Last updated May 11, 2026

Pinus sylvestris (Pinaceae) is a two-needled pine native across Eurasia from Scotland to eastern Siberia. It grows to about 80 feet tall with a distinctive orange-brown bark on the upper trunk and branches that contrasts with the darker, fissured bark below. The crown becomes irregular and flat-topped with age.

Scots pine is one of the most widely planted pines worldwide, used for timber, Christmas trees, and ornamental purposes. It grows in full sun on well-drained soils and tolerates poor, sandy substrates and moderate drought. In North America it has naturalized in some areas. Diplodia tip blight and pine wilt nematode can be problems. Hardy in Zones 3a to 8b.

Quick Facts

Height

30–60 ft

Spread

32 ft

Growth Rate

Fast

Light

Full Sun

Soil

Wet Tolerant

Water

Moderate

Hardiness

Zone Zones 2a–8b

Bloom Time

Non-flowering

Origin

TEMPERATE ASIA: Turkey, Armenia

Damping-offHigh

Spring Sowing - Preemergence Damping-off Risk

Twig BlightHigh

Spring Spore Release

Eriophyid miteHigh

Spring Dispersal & Bud Invasion

Pine needle scaleHigh

Crawler Emergence

+ 4 more — see full disease and pest lists below

Phenological Calendar

Stage	Typical Window	What to Look For
Candle elongation BBCH 11	Feb 15-Mar 15	Pale, elongating shoots (candles) covered in papery scale leaves. Two needles per fascicle emerge as candle extends
Pollen release BBCH 61	Apr 1-Apr 30	Male strobili usually clustered at base of current year's candles; yellow pollen visible
Pollen shed complete BBCH 69	Apr 15-May 15	Female conelets (small, reddish or purple) visible at shoot tips after pollination
Cone development (year 1-2) BBCH 71	Jun 1-Aug 31	Cones elongate slowly. Two-needle fascicles characteristic. Distinctive orange-red bark on upper trunk. Cones mature over second year
Cone maturity and seed shed BBCH 85	Sep 1-Nov 30	Woody cones 5-8 cm long with small prickles on scales; scales spread to release winged seeds

Diseases: Regionally Documented (24)

Endocronartium harknessii Western Gall Rust Cronartium ribicola White Pine Blister Rust Phytophthora spp. (P Phytophthora Root Rot Lophodermium spp. Lophodermium Needle Cast Lophodermella concolor Lophodermella Needle Cast Elytroderma deformans Elytroderma Needle Cast Arceuthobium spp. (parasitic plant) Dwarf Mistletoe Armillaria spp. — primarily A Armillaria Root Rot Symptom category — not a single disease Canker Cyclaneusma minus Cyclaneusma Needle Cast Several soilborne Damping-off Dothistroma septosporum (and/or D Dothistroma Needle Blight (Red Band) Gray Mold Heterobasidion occidentale Otrosina & Garbel Heterobasidion Root Disease In most Hypocotyl Rot and Root Rot Davisomycella medusa Medusa Needle Blight Rhabdocline spp. including R Needle Cast Needle Rusts Bursaphelenchus xylophilus Pine Wilt Excess sodium chloride Salt Damage Sirococcus conigenus Sirococcus Shoot Blight Fomitopsis officinalis, Porodaedalea pini, and other wood... Stem Decay Diaporthe vaccinii or Diplodia tip blight agents Tip Blight Multiple fungal species cause twig blight on different ho... Twig Blight

Pests: Regionally Documented (18)

Eriophyidae Eriophyid mite Pineus strobi Pine bark adelgid Dioryctria spp. Coneworm Pine Aphid Pissodes strobi White pine weevil Tetranychidae Spider mite Synanthedon sequoiae Sequoia pitch moth Pine Needle Sheathminer Pine Sheath Miner Chionaspis pinifoliae Pine needle scale Pine Butterfly Coloradia pandora Pandora moth Dendroctonus ponderosae Mountain pine beetle Rhyacionia buoliana European pine shoot moth Nuculaspis californica Black pineleaf scale Neodiprion spp. Pine sawfly Eulachnus agilis Powdery pine needle aphid Otiorhynchus spp. Root weevil Schizolachnus piniradiatae Woolly pine needle aphid

Cultivars (5)

'Albyn Prostrata'

Common name: Albyn Prostata Scots Pine Albyn Scots Pine

Hardy to USDA Zone 2

'Glauca Nana'

Common name: Glauca Nana Scots Pine; Mature height: 10 ft

Hardy to USDA Zone 2

'Globosa Viridis'

Common name: Globosa Viridis Scots Pine; Mature height: 3–5 ft

Hardy to USDA Zone 2

'Hillside Creeper'

Common name: Hillside Creeper Scots Pine

Hardy to USDA Zone 2

'Nisbets Gold'

Common name: Nisbet's Gold Scots Pine; Mature height: 6 ft

Hardy to USDA Zone 3

Data Maturity

Structured Multiple sources. Expert review underway.