Stone Pine — Growing reference
| Scientific name | Pinus pinea |
|---|---|
| First harvest or flowering (days) | 2555–5475 |
| Measured from | Transplant |
| Plant spacing (cm) | 609.6–1219.2 |
| Mature height (cm) | 609.6–1524 |
| Mature spread (cm) | 609.6–1219.2 |
| USDA hardiness zones | 7–11 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Water | Low |
| Sowing method | Transplant |
Growing directions
Stone pine is the classic Mediterranean umbrella-form pine grown for the large, richly flavored pine nuts (pignoli) used in pesto, pastries, and Middle Eastern cuisine; it is monoecious, self-fertile, and pollen-heavy — individual trees produce both male and female cones. Cones take three years to mature from pollination to seed release, so a productive tree has three overlapping cone crops at any given time. Harvest brown, closed cones by hand or after they fall naturally in late autumn, then sun-dry or gently heat them until the scales open and release the papery-shelled nuts inside. The tree thrives in sandy, well-drained, alkaline to acidic soil and is extremely drought-tolerant once the taproot is established.
Source and local conditions
Typical planning ranges from OpenPlantDB (CC0). Cultivar, climate, season and growing method can change these values. Confirm the seed label and local guidance before planting.
Source & verification
OpenPlantDB · CC0