Corsican Pine

Corsica, Spain, S France, Italy and Sicily

Christensen (1993). The most commonly cultivated variety, generally with twisted leaves. Grows best on relatively cool, moist sites. Naturalised in southern Australia and on the North and South Islands of New Zealand.

Distinguished from the more rarely cultivated Austrian Pine by having an open conical-columnar crown and short, horizontal branches; leaves flexible, slightly twisted, mostly 12-16 cm long, rarely longer.

SA: Penola (Yallum Park). NSW: Ournie (Jephcott Arboretum). ACT: Yarralumla Nsy (2-3 outside cottage). VIC: Aire Valley (Otways, plantation signposted on side of road to Beauchamp Falls); Barwon Downs (Primary School); Bungaree; Dandenong (Mt Dandenong Arboretum); Hamilton (Bot. Gds); Emerald (Station); Marysville ('Kooringa'); Melbourne (Outside National Herbarium of Victoria); Mont Albert (Primary School); Tynong (School Grounds). TAS: Hagley (St Mary's Church, in paddock); Hobart (Queens Domain near swimming pool; Tasmanian Royal Bot. Gds); Westbury (Common).

var. nigra Austrian Pine

Crown domed and dense; leaves shorter, more rigid and not twisted unlike var. corsicana. Rare in cultivation in Australia. Naturalised on the North and South Islands of New Zealand. This variety is rarely encountered.

VIC: Creswick (Forestry School); Geelong (Domain outside Bot. Gds, needs identification check).

Source: Spencer, R. (1995). Pinaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 1, Ferns, conifers & their allies. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press. (as Pinus nigra var. corsicana)