Plant Details

Pinus sylvestris

Scot's Pine, Scotch Pine

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Common names

65 names · 42 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Eurasian red pine[1]
  • northern pine[1]
  • Scot's Pine
+3 more namesShow fewer names
Other languages (41)
Dutch
French
  • Pin sylvestre[1]
Armenian
  • Սոճի սովորական[1]
Basque
Belarusian
  • Хвоя звычайная[1]
Bulgarian
  • Бял бор[1]
Catalan
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 欧洲赤松[1]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 歐洲赤松[1]
Croatian
  • Bijeli bor[1]
Czech
  • borovice lesní[1]
Danish
Estonian
  • Harilik mänd[1]
Finnish
Galician
  • Piñeiro rubio[1]
German
  • Forche[1]
  • Gemeine Kiefer[1]
  • Gewöhnliche Kiefer[1]
+5 more namesShow fewer names
Greek
  • Δασική πεύκη[1]
  • Δασόπευκο[1]
  • Λιάχα[1]
Hebrew
  • אורן היערות[1]
  • אורן סקוטי[1]
Hungarian
  • erdeifenyő[1]
Irish
  • Péine Albanach[1]
Italian
  • Pino di Scozia[1]
  • Pino silvestre[1]
Japanese
  • オウシュウアカマツ[1]
  • ヨーロッパアカマツ[1]
Kazakh
  • Кәдімгі қарағай[1]
Korean
  • 구주소나무[1]
Latvian
  • Parastā priede[1]
Lithuanian
  • Paprastoji pušis[1]
Mongolian
  • Ойн нарс[1]
Northern Sami
Norwegian
Polish
  • sosna zwyczajna[1]
Portuguese
  • pinheiro-da-Flandres[1]
  • pinheiro-de-casquinha[1]
  • pinheiro-de-Riga[1]
+1 more nameShow fewer names
  • pinheiro-silvestre[1]
Romanian
  • Pin de pădure[1]
Russian
  • Сосна обыкновенная[1]
Serbian
  • Obični bor[1]
  • Бели бор[1]
Slovak
  • borovica lesná[1]
Slovenian
  • rdeči bor[1]
Spanish
  • Pino silvestre[1]
Swedish
Turkish
Ukrainian
  • Сосна звичайна[1]
Welsh
  • Pinwydden yr Alban[1]
Sources & name notes (1)

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

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Pinus sylvestris — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Scots pine — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • pi roig — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • pinheiro-silvestre — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • pinheiro-de-casquinha — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • pinheiro-de-Riga — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • pinheiro-da-Flandres — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • pin sylvestre — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Mänty — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Tall — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • borovice lesní — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Grove Den — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Сосна обыкновенная — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Сосна звичайна — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Skovfyr — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Furu — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Pino silvestre — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Pinwydden yr Alban — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Pino silvestre — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Бял бор — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • sosna zwyczajna — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Harilik mänd — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Paprastoji pušis — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Parastā priede — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Бели бор — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • borovica lesná — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Sarıçam — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Eurasian red pine — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Scotch pine — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Skov-fyr — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Кәдімгі қарағай — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • ヨーロッパアカマツ — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • metsämänty — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • beahci — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Սոճի սովորական — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • オウシュウアカマツ — results[0].names[36]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Δασική πεύκη — results[0].names[37]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Δασόπευκο — results[0].names[38]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Λιάχα — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • 欧洲赤松 — results[0].names[40]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • 歐洲赤松 — results[0].names[41]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Pino di Scozia — results[0].names[42]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • 구주소나무 — results[0].names[43]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Ойн нарс — results[0].names[44]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Хвоя звычайная — results[0].names[45]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Piñeiro rubio — results[0].names[46]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Scotch Fir — results[0].names[47]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • northern pine — results[0].names[48]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Obični bor — results[0].names[49]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • rdeči bor — results[0].names[50]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • erdeifenyő — results[0].names[51]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Bijeli bor — results[0].names[52]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Péine Albanach — results[0].names[53]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • אורן היערות — results[0].names[54]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Waldkiefer — results[0].names[55]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • אורן סקוטי — results[0].names[56]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Gewöhnliche Kiefer — results[0].names[57]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Gemeine Kiefer — results[0].names[58]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Pin de pădure — results[0].names[59]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Wald-Föhre — results[0].names[60]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • lerr — results[0].names[61]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Rotföhre — results[0].names[62]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Weißkiefer — results[0].names[63]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Forche — results[0].names[64]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.
  • Wald-Kiefer — results[0].names[65]; taxon id 58722; Pinus sylvestris.

General information

Scientific name: Pinus sylvestris
Accepted name (Kew): Pinus sylvestris L. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Botanical family: Pinaceae

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

Sources [1]
Also known as: Scot's Pine, Scotch Pine
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Tree
Catalogue size class: Large
Height: 9.14–18.29 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [2]
Spread: 9.14–12.19 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [2]
Growth rate: Fast
Sources [2]
Foliage: Evergreen
Sources [2]
Growth habit: Columnar, Conical, Open, Pyramidal, Rounded

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [2]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [2]
Soil moisture:
Well-drained, Moist, Occasionally Dry

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [2]
Soil:
Clay, Loam (Silt), Sand
Sources [2]
pH:
Acid (<6.0)
Sources [2]
Light:
Full sun
Sources [2]

Uses

Edible parts:
Inner bark, Condiment
Edibility rating:
(2)
Medicinal rating:
(2)
Functions:
Carbon farming, Pioneer species, Resin, Herbicide, Wood, Adhesive, Fibre

Description

The dried inner bark of this plant is ground into powder and is often added to bread, commonly mixed with oats. It is used as food when all other options have been exhausted. Vanillin is also obtained as an aromatic byproduct from other resins released from the pulpwood. Vanillin is an organic compound with a vanilla-like flavor and scent, commonly used as a flavoring in food and beverages. Scots pine has various medicinal applications due to its antiseptic properties and positive effects on the respiratory system. People with allergic skin reactions should be cautious in its use, and internal use of the essential oil is recommended under professional supervision. Turpentine obtained from the resin has valuable properties such as anti-rheumatic, antiseptic, soothing, and diuretic, which are useful in treating various conditions such as rheumatism, kidney and bladder disorders, and respiratory issues. Leaves and young shoots are also antiseptic and diuretic, and are used both internally and externally. Essential oils from leaves and seeds are used in the treatment of various conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, and digestive problems. Additionally, the plant is used in Bach flower remedies and aromatherapy.

Harvest

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

Crown

Crown shape: Rounded and irregular with age
Sources [2]
Crown density: Open with age
Sources [2]

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: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 836404; name ID 380659; Pinus L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1217354; name ID 380126; Pinus sylvestris L..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Pinus sylvestris — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: Crown shapeCrown densityHeightSpreadGrowth rateFoliageGrowth habitLightSoil moistureSoil textureSoil pHUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Crown shape: Description: crown architecture
    • Crown density: Description: crown architecture
    • Height: Dimensions > Height; Height: 30 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in.
    • Spread: Dimensions > Width; Width: 30 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in.
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .