Whilst out considering nature, I saw two huge pine trees. These were situated in a development of neo-Georgian houses, all very neat and tidy. We walked up to, and under, the pines. What a feeling, and scent, from two huge trees. Neither of us knew what they were but we had this image in our minds. Home again, out come the tree books. We found what we thought it was but it needed another visit. This time, I listed the recognition features. Sure enough, fist-sized cones, some of which had dropped in the winds. However, these rarely fall because this tree has a fire strategy. It anticipates a blaze, and the cones open in the heat and distribute the seeds. Just stop to think about that for a moment. The Monterey Pine is prepared for global warming.

Identification

I had to confirm that the pine needles were in clusters of three. There were plenty of those lying about. Each needle had to be no more than one millimetre thick. In addition, the cones had to be hard pressed against the branches, and not loose. The bark had also to be dark and deeply fissured. All this fell into place. However, mortality is not one of this pines strong points. It can grow fast, up to 3 metres in one season, but that comes at a cost. The tree is fully grown by 100 years and then degrades. These trees fit that perspective and the next few decades may see them looking sorry for themselves.

Monterey Pine

At home, I put the cone on a side table. It was an attractive item and I handled it occasionally. Suddenly, aware at last, I noted that lichens were growing at one end. The cone went under the microscope and there were four lichen species, at least. That is odd because the bark of this tree does not foster lichens. However, lichens take decades to grow, and they need to be in the sun often enough. It shows how these cones hang there, in the tree, perhaps even for the lifetime of the tree. Remarkable fact and remarkable tree from the Western USA, here in Highcliffe.