Tree 1

Pinus radiata

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Quick Facts

Genus: Pinus

Species: radiata

Common Names: Monterey Pine

Mature Size: 15-30metres; though much taller in cultivation; with a tree in excess of 45metres in Blackwood and taller in NZ.

Height: 24 metres
Width: 14 metres
Diameter at Breast Height (DBH): 105cm

Age of Tree: Mature, this tree has reached their expected size in this position. The loss of root space to the north due to the car park for train station will limit its ultimate life expectancy.

Place of Origin: Monterey Peninsula California USA, and a variety of this species on two small islands off Bahaj Peninsula, Mexico.

Plant Habit: Modest contorted tree in exposed conditions in its home range. It is extensively used in forestry in Australia and NZ. Where it is a tall tree in plantations of farm hedge rows. This tree is growing as part of a row of trees as a wind break.

Growth Habit: Fast when young to a moderate age; it slows considerably when aging or in poor growing conditions.

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Story

Believed to have been planted in the 1880’s when the train station was built, possibly as a wind break for the original farm or the train station.

This tree and the remainder of these trees in this row have reached their expected size in this position.

They create an imposing back drop to the historic train station. Commonly found as a wind break on rural properties.

Some old wind breaks in Park Orchard area of Melbourne are being preserved by the local council to recognize their contribution to past use around orchards; there their timber was also used for the construction of fruit boxes.

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Horticultural Information

Preferred Conditions Soil Moisture: Tolerant of a wide range of conditions including drought, second line coastal exposure and lack of appropriate care or maintenance.

Soil Type: Grows exceptionally fast in the deep organic soils of NZ. It is a smaller tree in our soils of low nutrient levels and often low organic content.

Useful Life Expectancy (ULE): Medium, 150years+

Flowering Characteristics, Features: Its foliage are needles, held in groups of 3’s, though it can also occur in 5’s, dark green in colour. Cones are attached close to branches, at an oblique angle, resulting in asymmetrical cone shape. Cones can be 9-16cm long, they remain close for many years, opening after fire or prolonged drought; giving this type of tree some tolerance to wild fire.

Bark is deeply fissured as it ages, dark grey to black; where rapid response to growth occurs the bark can show strong brown colouring. This is often a sign to Arborists that there might be some internal crack or fault in this area of the branch or stem, where this occurs along with sudden alteration in branch or stem shape or orientation.