Plant Details

Pinus armandii

Chinese white pine

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Explore the size, hardiness, soil, light, edible uses and harvest period of Pinus armandii.

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Common names

4 names · 3 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Chinese white pine
Other languages (2)
Dutch
  • Chinese den
  • Chinese pijnboom
French
  • Pin blanc de Chine
Sources & name notes

Names recorded in our plant catalogue, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

General information

Scientific name: Pinus armandii
Accepted name (Kew): Pinus armandi View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited taxonomic treatment. Botanical references may use alternative names.

Sources [1]
Botanical family: Pinaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Pinus (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Chinese white pine

Plant characteristics

Layer: Nut tree
Catalogue size class: Medium
Height: 15.00 m
Spread: 8.00 m
Growth rate: Moderate
Foliage: Evergreen

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 6-9
Soil moisture:
Well-drained, Moist
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral
Light:
Full sun

Uses

Edible parts:
Condiment, Seed
Edibility rating:
(4)
Medicinal rating:
(2)
Functions:
Dye, Herbicide, Wood

Description

Seeds can be eaten raw or cooked. The oil-rich seeds have a slightly resinous flavor and are quite large, up to 13mm x 11mm. A vanilla-like aroma is produced as a byproduct of other resins released from the wood.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/10
Harvest ends: 28/02

Crown

Crown shape: Narrow pyramidal
Crown density: Dense crown

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: WCVP version 16, wcvp_names.csv: Pinus armandi Franch., name ID 380505, row 1218318
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 836404; name ID 380659; Pinus L.. Family column.

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.