The black pine

Conifers · tree portrait

The black pine

A pine from the mountains of southern Europe, best known in the Low Countries from the coastal dunes. Dark, sturdy and resistant to wind and salt.

Pinus nigra
Dunes and windbreaks
Long, stiff needles

Pinus nigra

Summary

The black pine in brief

A robust pine with dark, plated bark and long, stiff needles — the pine people chose to tame sand and wind.

The name says it all: the bark is dark grey to almost black, cracked into large plates. The needles are longer and stiffer than those of the Scots pine, and dark green, so from a distance the tree looks sombre and dense.

Its native range lies in southern and eastern Europe, from Austria to Corsica and Calabria. In Belgium and the Netherlands it was planted on a large scale in the coastal dunes and as a windbreak, because it tolerates sea wind and salt better than most other trees.

Austrian or Corsican?

The black pine comes in several subspecies. The ones you mostly see in north-west Europe are the Austrian pine and the Corsican pine. The latter grows straighter and slimmer, which made it sought after for timber.

Botanical: Pinus nigra
Origin: Southern and eastern Europe; planted further north
Height: usually 20–40 m
Needles: in pairs, 8–16 cm, stiff and dark green
Bark: dark grey to black, in plates
Durability: class 4

To be fair: as a non-native species, the black pine forms dense, dark stands in the dunes where little grows underneath. That is why conservation managers are gradually replacing it with native species in many places.

Recognising

How to recognise a black pine

Black pinePinus nigra

Dark bark

Grey to black and cracked into large plates, without the orange upper trunk of the Scots pine.

Long needles

In pairs, 8 to 16 cm long, stiff and dark green — noticeably longer than on the Scots pine.

Dense crown

Young trees are broadly conical; old ones develop a broad, flat-topped crown.

Tough by the sea

Tolerates wind, salt and dry chalky or sandy soil. That is why it is the classic tree for planting on dunes.

From tree to plank

The wood of the black pine

Resinous

The wood contains a lot of resin, which gives it a strong smell and a slightly darker, yellowish-brown colour.

Sturdy

Slightly heavier and sturdier than Scots pine, with a coarser grain and often more knots.

Once treated

Naturally only moderately durable, but it takes treatment well for posts and outdoor structures.

Practical use

Construction timber, pallets, posts and packaging. Because of the knots, it rarely makes fine furniture wood.

Dune forest with a history

Most dune forests along the Low Countries' coast are not ancient woodland but plantations from the last century and a half, made to fix drifting sand. The black pine was the workhorse species.

Quick answer

Frequently asked questions about the black pine

Why is it called black pine?

After its dark, almost black bark, which is cracked into large plates.

Is the black pine native?

Not in north-west Europe. It comes from southern and eastern Europe and was planted in the dunes and forests of the Low Countries.

How does it differ from the Scots pine?

The black pine has dark bark without an orange upper trunk, and longer, stiffer needles.

What is black pine wood used for?

Mainly as construction timber, and for posts, pallets and packaging — outdoors too, once pressure-treated.

The black pine in perspective

A tree planted to tame sand and wind, and one that still shapes the silhouette of the coast.

The pine tree Conifers To The Wood Guide

Have a question about your project? Just ask — we're happy to help.

Photo via Wikimedia Commons: Pinus nigra — Cayambe, CC BY-SA 4.0

The Wood Guide

More in Trees & forests

← PreviousThe Scots pine Next →The western white pine

Other sections:Wood species Understanding wood Care & finishing Choosing & buying Build it yourself

Your cart is empty

Your cart

Estimated total

The black pine

The black pine

The black pine in brief