Jock’s Favourite Plants - Scots Pine

Jock thinks that the oldest Scots pine trees on Bennachie are about 115 years old and can be found just below Mither Tap, heading towards the Bennachie Visitor Centre. Scots pine trees can live for over 300 years.

Scots pines are conifers and have needle like leaves. Their seeds are found in cones and take two years to ripen.

Scots Pine Niddles — Scots Pine Needles and Male Flowers.

Scots Pine Bark - The bark is rough and in this picture there are lichens growing on the bark.

Scots Pine Trees in the Caledonian Forest

Caledonia is the Roman name for Scotland and is derived from the early Celtic word "caleto" meaning hard or strong. Caledonia Forest is often considered one of the real wilderness areas in Britain.

Watch this video to learn more about the Caledonian Forest.

Caledonian Pine Forrest - Conservation Area.

Fun Activity: How to Tell the Age of a Young Scots Pine Tree: Generally each year a Scots pine tree will grow a whorl of branches Did you know that by counting the number of whorls you can then estimate the age of a Scots pine tree. However as the tree gets older these whorls become less obvious as the branches die.

Find out more about the Scots pine at the Forestry and Land Scotland web site.

https://forestryandland.gov.scot/

Lots of animals feed on the cones from Scots Pine. Watch this to find out more perhaps you can find some nibbled comes too?

This is part of the Things That Grow information.