Scots pine

The UK's only native pine (Pinus sylvestris), although it has been widely planted throughout the UK. You'll only find ancient specimens where it's truly native in the Caledonian pinewoods.

Distribution

Throughout the UK as a planted tree and truly ancient only in isolated Caledonian pinewoods.

Typical location

Upland Scotland and lowland sandy heaths. Woodland, designed landscapes, gardens.

Age

Scots pine may live for 500 years, although 250 may be more typical on many sites.

Scots pine may be considered chronologically ancient from 300 years onwards, although many will have ancient characteristics from around 225 years.

A veteran Scots pine must be mature and have visible and significant decay features, regardless of its size.

A notable Scots pine must be; mature, generally large for its species, a significant tree within the local landscape, or be of historical or cultural importance.

Size

Scots pine can grow up to 4.5m plus in girth.

Record all mature Scots pine with significant decay regardless of its size.

It’s important to rely on characteristics rather than size, which is an unreliable indication of age. Most chronologically ancient Scots pine will be greater than 3m in girth but many growing within woodland, or in upland areas, may be no more than 2m in girth.

Ancient characteristics

• Girth is large (lowland areas)
• Decay holes
• Physical damage to trunk
• Bark loss
• Large quantities of dead wood in the canopy
• Crevices in the bark, under branches or on the root plate, sheltered from direct rainfall
• Fungal fruiting bodies (from heart rotting species)
• A high number of interdependent wildlife species
• Epiphytic plants

In addition the tree may have:

• Short trunk with flat umbrella-shaped crown (upland areas)
• Cultural or historic value
• A prominent position in the landscape