Scots Pine
Latin: Pinus sylvestris (Linné 1753)
Svenska: Tall
Deutsch: Waldkiefer
Pollen colours the water's surface
It takes two years for a Scots pine tree to produce new seeds. The trees spread their pollen from male cones in May and June. The pollen is released in such great amounts that it can actually turn the surface of the water yellow! Enormous amounts of pollen from spruces and pines are spread in Uppland every summer.
The pollen has hit its mark if it finds a female cone. It sprouts a little tube from which the sperm will swim. The sperm hibernate during the winter, so it's not until the spring that it begins to fertilize the egg. When a sperm meets an egg inside the cone, a new seed can be produced. It takes time for the seed to be fully grown, however, and it won't be released before the late winter/early spring the following year. Then, the seeds can be carried long distances by the wind and snow.
There are only two species who can eat the pine's needles: moose and capercaillie. Other species have difficulty to digest and take up nutrients from the seeds.
Scots pine is common throughout Uppland. When Linneaus named the Scots pine, he was in Kronparken! It is one of the many plants who were named right here in Uppsala.
Scots pine blooms from May to June. It keeps its needles throughout the year, but in the winter it plugs the air holes in the needles with wax.
Photo: Emil Nilsson
NatureGate on the scots pine
Wikipedia article on the Scots pine