Family: Pinaceae
Species: Pinus cembra L.
Common name: Pino cembro, Cirmolo, Cirmo - English: Swiss pine, Arolla pine
Etymology
The Latin name for pine means “resinous,” and the specific epithet cembra derives from the dialect name “cembro” given to the Germanic populations who settled in the area of Rhaetia, whose life and culture were closely linked to the forest.
Description
Pinus cembra is a tree that can reach up to 25 metres in height. Its very developed root system ensures strong anchorage to the ground. The trunk is generally straight, although adverse weather conditions may produce strange asymmetrical shapes.
The bark is very resinous. In young individuals, it is silvery-grey, and with age, it becomes very fissured—grey-blackish on the outside and red-brown on the inside, flaking off over time.
The needle-like leaves are grouped in bundles of five. They are straight and rigid, bright green on the upper surface and whitish below. The needles have a trigonal cross-section and persist for 3–5 years.
The flowers appear in May. The male flowers, yellow when in bloom, are oval and grouped at the base of the new shoots, while the female flowers, pink-purple in colour and borne on short peduncles, appear at the extremities.
The small pine cones, which occur singly or in groups of 2–3 and mature in 2 years, are oval, erect, and covered with purple scales in summer and later turn brown-reddish. Each cone contains two non-winged seeds and is preyed upon by rodents (especially squirrels) and birds. The species is long-lived; according to some sources, it can live for at least 600 years and may reach a trunk diameter of over 1 metre.
Habitat
Pinus cembra is native to cold and temperate-cold areas of Eurasia.
Properties and Uses
The seeds are edible, like pine nuts, and are used similarly; an oil is also extracted from them. The bark, which is rich in tannins, has tanning properties. A fragrant resin called “Carpathian balsam” is obtained from the autumn shoots and bark. In the past, the wood—being resistant to woodworms—was also used for rustic interior furnishings, and in the construction of wardrobes, chests of drawers and windows.
Notes and Curiosities
With its dense branching, this tree grows at higher altitudes than any other European pine; in nature, it can be found at elevations up to 2400 metres.
During the glaciations, it found refuge in Austria, Switzerland and northern Italy, before spreading considerably in the post-glacial period across the high areas of the central Alps. Subsequently, its range contracted significantly due to climatic and anthropic factors (deforestation, grazing, fires) and competition from other conifers.
Pinus cembra retains its lower branches at ground level as it grows, and its shoots have an orange-brown colour that distinguishes them from other five-needle pines. These features, along with the attractive purple cones, make it appreciated as an ornamental tree. In the Heller botanical park, the Swiss pine embellishes the rock garden area with its bushy, decorative foliage.