Pinus radiata D.Don, Pinaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  yes

Risk assessment results:  Evaluate, score: 5 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: insignis pine, Monterey pine, radiata pine

Spanish: pino, pino quebradizo

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Medium-sized to very large tree; habit variable, generally ± spreading, with foliage in dense terminal clusters.  Bark thick, deeply fissured and ridged in mature trees, dark grey on surface, reddish brown beneath.  Shoots brown or greyish brown, occasionally somewhat glaucous when young, glabrous.  Buds cylindric or cylindric-ovoid, thinly resinous; scales appressed, chestnut-brown.  Leaves 3 per fascicle, (3)-6-15 cm x 1.2-2 mm, deep or dark green, ± spreading, moderately rigid; resin canals median; sheath initially long but rarely greater than 1 cm long on mature leaves, persistent.  Female strobili 0.7-1.5 cm long, cylindric.  Conelets stalked, cylindric, scales with short mucro.  Mature cones sessile or subsessile, 1-c. 6 in a cluster, backward pointing but not pendent, long-persistent, eventually falling intact, 6-13 x 4.5-8.5 cm when closed, ± ovoid, brown at maturity; base asymmetric; apophyses on upper side enlarged and rounded, umbo usually not armed at maturity.  Seed wing ± oblong, only slightly wider towards apex, 1.5-2 cm long"  (Webb et al., 1988; p. 58).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i (East Maui), "it is invading pastures and native subalpine shrublands, 1951 m" (Oppenheimer, 2002; p. 21). In New Zealand to nearly 1000 m in the north. "Usually only a minor escape from cultivation in open or much disturbed sites in the vicinity of planted trees, occasionally extensively naturalised in scrub and herbaceous vegetation on slopes down-wind from plantations or forests" (Webb et al., 1988; p. 58).

Propagation:  Wind-dispersed seed.  Seeds may be held in the cones for five years or longer with no loss of viability.  Seeds are released from the cones in hot, dry summers or as a result of fire (Cronk & Fuller, 2001; p. 106).

Native range:  California and Mexico (Baja California) (GRIN)

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Oppenheimer, Hank L. (2002) (p. 21) Vouchers cited: Oppenheimer H89901 (BISH), G.R. Ewart III s.n. (BISH)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)	introduced invasive	Weber, Ewald (2003) (p. 330)
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales	introduced invasive cultivated	Australian Biological Resources Study (2007) "Widely lightly naturalised in most areas where planted".
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive cultivated	Australian Biological Resources Study (2007) "Widely lightly naturalised in most areas where planted".
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007) Cedros & Guadalupe Islands
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive cultivated	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 58) "Usually only a minor escape from cultivation in open or much disturbed sites in the vicinity of planted trees, occasionally extensively naturalised in scrub and herbaceous vegetation on slopes down-wind from plantations or forests".
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)

Control: 

Physical:  Hand pull or dig out seedlings and young trees, cut larger trees. In fire adapted plant communities the area can be burned after a few months when the seeds have germinated to reduce seedling populations (Weber, 2003; p. 330).

Additional information:  Information from Silvics of North America.
Fact sheet from Weeds Australia.
Fact sheet from "Common forest trees of Hawaii" (PDF format).

Additional online information about Pinus radiata is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Taxonomic information about Pinus radiata may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Australian Biological Resources Study. 2007. Flora of Australia Online. Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra.

Charles Darwin Research Station. 2005. CDRS Herbarium records.

Cronk, Q. C. B./Fuller, J. L. 2001. Plant invaders. Earthscan Publications, Ltd., London. 241 pp.

Little, Elbert L./Skolmen, Roger G. 1989. Common forest trees of Hawaii (native and introduced). USDA Agriculture Handbook 679. Washington, D.C. 377 pp. + plates.

Oppenheimer, Hank L. 2002. The spread of gymnosperms on Maui: a neglected element of the modern Hawaiian Flora. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucius G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2000. Part 1: Articles. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 68:19-23.

U. S. Government. 2006. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (on-line resource).

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2007. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. 1988. Flora of New Zealand, Volume IV: Naturalised pteridophytes, gymnosperms, dicotyledons. Botany Division, DSIR, Christchurch. 1365 pp.

Weber, Ewald. 2003. Invasive plants of the World. CABI Publishing, CAB International, Wallingford, UK. 548 pp.