Pinus wallichiana

PSC 2620: Woody Trees and Shrub Course Home Week 13

Pinus wallichiana - Himalayan Pine

Plant Viewer


The long needles are 5-8 inches long and delicate to the touch. Mature needles hang from the stem and give the tree a graceful and airy appearance.	The cones are 6-10 inches long and hang from the branch on noticeable stalks. They are cylindrical and taper at the end. Image: Roland Tanglao

Plant Description

Pinus wallichiana, or Himalayan Pine, is one of the most delicate and graceful conifers. It reaches 30-50 feet high and 20-30 feet wide. It has a loose pyramidal form with branches held close to the ground. While it is hardy to our climate, needle damage may occur during cold winters, and it should be planted in a protected location if possible. It grows best in well-drained slightly acidic soils and is drought tolerant once established. The mature bark of the tree is gray-brown in color and forms in rough plates that have curl on their edges. Young bark is a silvery-gray color and it is smooth. The mature bark forms in an irregular pattern on the branches, creating an interesting texture along the branch.

The beautiful long needles are 5-8 inches long and held in clusters of five. They are soft to the touch and hang gracefully from the branches. They are a light gray-green color that adds to the visual softness of the plant. The cones are cylindrical and tapered at the point. They are 6-10 inches long and held below the branch on noticeable 2 inch long stalks. Immature cones are a pale green color and resinous. Mature cones turn light brown.

Landscape Use

Pinus wallichiana is perfectly suited for use as a specimen tree. Its low branching habit and broad form make it perfect for use as a large and graceful backdrop to a shrub or perennial border. It is not suitable for a wind break because of cold hardiness issues. It is well adapted to an urban setting because of its high tolerance of air pollution and soil adaptation.

Points of Interest