Everything about the pines

The differences between French pine species

Forest pine

PINE SPECIES BARK TRUNK NEEDLES CONES CLIMATE ALTITUDE
Maritime pine Thick, hollow, reddish brown Straight, occasionally slightly curved growth, lower part often branch-free Long (10 to 20 cm), thick and rigid Large (10 to 18 cm) Requires a temperate climate; sensitive to extreme cold Plains
Scots pine Salmon colour towards the top of the trunk Straight growth becoming crooked towards the top; large tree Short (4 to 7 cm) and spiral shaped Small (around 5 cm) Adapted to drought and extreme cold Plains and low mountains
Corsican laricio pine Large irregular silver grey patches Very straight growth, frequent branches Long (12 to 15 cm), flexible and curled Small (4 to 7 cm) Adapted to strong summer droughts; very cold resistant  Plains and low mountains
Austrian black pine Broad, flat scales, yellow-brown to grey, separated by cracks Very straight growth, frequent branches Long (8 to 20 cm), dark green Average (5 to 10 cm) Adapted to strong summer droughts; very cold resistant  Plains and low mountains
Aleppo pine First smooth and silvery then grey-brown scales Relatively crooked growth, small tree < 20 m Average (6 to 10 cm), thin and pointed, brushy at branch ends Average (6 to 12 cm) held together by a long base Very drought resistance; not always frost resistant < 800 m
Mountain pine Grey, thin but solid (similar to spruce bark)

Adapts to wind and climate.
10 to 25 m

Short (4 to 8 cm), gathered in twos

3 to 7 cm
Asymmetrical, one side with a "hook"

Resistant to the extreme cold of high mountain areas 1400 to 2000 m
 

It is important to remember just how different an isolated tree can look when compared with the same tree grown in a forest. That's why we do not include tree growth shape in the table of different features, as this is largely influenced by the tree's immediate environment.

To see a list of the main French pine species and to find out more about each one, visit the page, The different species of French pine

 

 

Pine wood

Irrespective of the species, we have to remember that wood is by nature a very heterogeneous and irregular material.

Wide variations are often found within the same species. This is even more the case when we consider that the texture and composition of wood depends on the soil in which it grows and its climate (known as the "site" in Silviculture), as well as on the surrounding trees and any forestry work undertaken.

This phenomenon is more marked in France because our soil and climate are very varied.

That's why labelling a French species requires a long and costly series of trials because a representative sample of the country's entire tree population has to be tested.

 

Here are the existing data for pine species studied in the laboratory by the FCBA and CIRAD:

PINE SPECIES DENSITY
kg/m3 (1)
VOLUME SHRINKAGE
(1)
MONNIN HARDNESS
mm-1 
GROWTH RING WIDTH
mm (1)
KNOT SIZE
mm (2
VISUAL GRADING
% STI + STII - % STIII (3)

NATURAL DURABILITY (4)

IMPROVED DURABILITY AFTER PRESSURE IMPREGNATION
Maritime pine 517 to 611 10,4 to 13,4 2,3 3,0 to 5,0 29 to 83 38 - 20 Class 3 Grade 4
Scots pine 500 to 614 12,9 to 15,3 3,0 1,2 to 2,8 7 to 34 37 - 23 Class 3 Grade 4
Laricio pine 506 to 662 10 to 14 - 1,3 to 3,9 12 to 70 44 - 22 Class 2 Grade 4
Black pine 521 to 655 9,4 to 14,2 3,1 1,4 to 4,0 26 to 78 20 - 29 Class 2 Grade 4
Mountain pine 440     0,5 to 0,5   36 - 25 (5) Not available Not available
Aleppo pine 550   2,8     Not studied Not available Not available

(1) range of values ​​in which 70% of the tested timber is located
(2) projection of knots on the sides
(3) visual strength grading according to the NF B 52-001 standard
(4) processing the untreated species stripped of its sapwood, termite infection risk not taken into account
(5) for the mountain pine, the correspondence between visual grades and mechanical values ​​is specific

 

The Aleppo pine study commissioned by CIRAD in 2004 aimed at better understanding the species failed to qualify it from a mechanical grading perspective. However its average elasticity modulus was measured at around 11MPa, an average value for pine. There is currently no analysis grid for visual mechanical grading of Aleppo pine.

As well as the average values indicated in the previous table, it is worth revealing the extreme values, which correspond to only 5% of the population of each species, but which is observable nevertheless.

They show the high variability of wood.

 

PINE SPECIES DENSITY
kg / m3
GROWTH RING WIDTH
mm
KNOT SIZE
mm
Mini * Maxi * Mini Maxi Mini Maxi
Maritime pine 470 658 2 11 0 150
Scots pine 442 672 0,7 7 0 50
Laricio pine 428 741 1 8 0 147
Black pine 455 722 0,3 12 0 146

(*) Values below which 95% of the woods studied are located

 

Finally, each pine species has several specific features to take into account:

PINE SPECIES

VARIABILITY IN APPEARANCE AND DENSITY RESINE CONTENT KNOT-FREE WOOD SAPWOOD/DURAMEN PORTION AVAILABILITY
Maritime pine High High Solid or joined High, variable Very high
Scots pine Low Average Solid or joined High High
Corsican laricio pine Very high High Uncommon Very high Average
Black pine High Very high Uncommon High Local
Aleppo pine High High Uncommon Variable Low
Mountain pine Low Average Uncommon Variable Low

 

 

Pine wood has a slightly different appearance from species to species. This variation depends mostly on airflow, the position of the tree and the type of soil.
Variations between species are sometimes so subtle that timber from different pine is often grouped together and not differentiated.

 

 

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Who are we ?

French pine is found throughout France and provides an abundant resource of timber and industrial wood in the immediate vicinity of industry players and end users. This website was created by the APEP, l'Association pour la Promotion des Emplois du Pin (the Association for the Promotion of the Use of Pine), which unites all professionals who use French pine, whether in outdoor structures, construction, interior design, logistics or industry.