Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster)

Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) is a conifer that can grow higher than 15m tall and wider than 8 metres wide. In this growing guide we’ll learn the cultivation details and how to plant Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster).

This plant has several common names including: maritime pine, cluster pine, European turpentine, Mauritius pine, pinaster, seaside pine or star pine.

This is a evergreen plant that takes more than 50 years to reach full maturity.

Plant profile

Common name: maritime pine, cluster pine, European turpentine, Mauritius pine, pinaster, seaside pine, star pine
Scientific name: Pinus pinaster
Plant type: Conifers, Trees
Habit: Columnar / Upright
Height: Higher than 15m
Spread: Wider than 8 metres
Foliage: Evergreen
Sunlight: Full Sun
Soil: Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Moisture: Well drained
Garden type: Architectural, Coastal
Planting type: Hedging & Screens

Seasonal colors

How to plant Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) – Patrick Verdier, Free On Line Photos, Copyrighted free use, via Wikimedia Commons

How to plant

In this section we will learn how to plant Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster), know its needs in terms of soil, watering and sun exposure.

Soil

Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) is a plant that adapts to all types of soils, chalk, clay, loam or sand.

• The chalky soil is pale and contains chunks of calcium-rich rock. It is a fertile and well-draining soil, almost always alkaline.

• Clay soil is composed of more than 25 percent clay particles. These particles have a high moisture holding capacity and the soil is heavy to dig and can be waterlogged in winter (dry in summer).

• The loam soil is dark, rich in organic matter but balanced in minerals. It offers the best of all worlds, retaining enough water for the plants, but allowing excess moisture to drain away. This is the most desired type of garden soil, perfect for most plants.

• Sandy soil is light, porous and very easy to drain. It is a soil poor in organic matter and nutrients. It is composed of relatively large mineral particles that allow water to drain quickly.

It is not very sensitive to soil acidity or alkalinity and grows well in soils with pH acid, alkaline or neutral.

Regarding drainage, Pinus pinaster likes to grow in well drained soil.

Sunlight

Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) should be grown in full sun places.

Cultivation profiles – Growing Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) – Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons