Mountain shrub pine

A coniferous plant, resembling a small tree with flexible branches, dark green needles and purple-yellow pine cones, albeit smaller and more compact.

Detailed description

Seedling

At a young stage it resembles a young pine tree. The resemblance is striking and in the seedling stage it is extremely difficult to tell the difference between a Mountain shrub pine and a Mountain pine. At this point the plant growth is the fastest, inhibited, but not stopped, by cold, even at freezing temperatures. The seedlings are among the juiciest treats for the smaller criters inhabiting the area.

Sappling

Later on the plant starts to develop its first branches coated with bark. When growing up, and without windy conditions to alter the growth up, every tip produces typically three buds at the end of fall. The needles are loosely packed and the bark is light brown. It is then that the resin starts to develop and the plant gains a bitter flavour. The fragrance, characteristic for that particular type of resin, is slowly developed as well.

Maturation

In the second year the plant starts to bend and crawl slightly above the ground. When that happens it triggers the branching mechanism and every tip grows a set of four buds. The condition of the branches depends on the triggering moment and it affects both, the thickness and the length. The needles become thicker, darker and densely packed. The bark becomes dark brown as well. If the bending happens in the summer it affects the resin as well. It then becomes thinner but darker in colour and more fragrant. The fragrance is characteristic, with earthy and astringent notes.

Usage

The resin has a pleasant fragrance for which it was once harvested for culinary purposes, especially by the local community.

Location

An endemic plant found on the slopes of Coire àrd.