About Pinus morrisonicola Hayata
Pinus morrisonicola, commonly called Taiwan white pine, is known in Chinese as ε°η£δΊθζΎ (pinyin: taiwan wuyesong, literally 'Taiwan five-leaf pine'). It is a conifer species in the family Pinaceae. This is a large tree, reaching 15β25 m (50β80 ft) in height and up to 1.2 m (4 ft) in trunk diameter, and its trunk is often crooked. Its needles grow in bundles of five. Mature cones of this species are large, growing up to 10 cm (4 in) long and 4β5 cm (1.6β2.0 in) wide. Pinus morrisonicola is endemic to Taiwan. It grows at altitudes between 300β2,300 m (980β7,550 ft) across the whole island. Currently, the species is scarce at lower elevations, and occurs mostly at higher elevations in less accessible areas. In comparison to the similar-looking black pine (Pinus thunbergii), Taiwan white pine has slenderer, more delicate needles. When new leaves emerge, their varying shades of green are strikingly beautiful. Due to these traits, the species is important for garden landscaping and bonsai production. Its high-quality wood can be used for construction, furniture manufacturing, and paper production. Its leaves can also be juiced for use as a drink, or used medicinally, and its cones can be processed to extract aromatic essential oils.
