Common Name: Jalisco Pine

General Information

Pinus jaliscana is an evergreen tree with an irregularly rounded, open crown; it usually grows 20 - 30 metres tall, occasionally reaching 35 metres. The straight, cylindrical bole can be 50 - 80cm in diameter, occasionally to 100cm[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its wood, which is used locally and also traded.
Pinus jaliscana has a small native range and is only known from five locations. However, there is at present no evidence of a decline in its population. The plant is classified as 'Near Threatened' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

The wood, sawdust and resins from various species of pine can cause dermatitis in sensitive people[].

Botanical References

Range

Southern N. America - western Mexico (Jalisco)

Habitat

Mixed pine and pine-oak forests in mountainous terrain, growing on deep, well-drained acidic soils, usually in sites where groundwater is available for most of the year such as near streambanks; at elevations from 700 - 2,000 metres[, ].

Properties

Conservation Status	Near Threatened
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	25.00 m
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Pinus jaliscana grows in a subtropical to tropical climate, with a mean annual temperature of 22 - 26°c, a 5 - 6 month dry season and a mean annual precipitation ranging from 1,000 - 1,935mm[, ].
Pine species in general require a sunny position if they are to grow well and, whilst the different species have their own soil preferences, most will thrive in a light well-drained sandy or gravelly loam[, ].
Seed cones are 45 - 98mm long and 30 - 60mm wide when open. The cones take two growing seasons to mature, ripen in winter and can hang on the tree for several years without opening[].
The tree is adapted to survive and even thrive in regions liable to fire. It has a thick bark that helps to insulate it from the heat of low-intensity fires; it readily casts its lower limbs so that there is less material available to burn, and it has serotinous seed cones that can remain closed on the tree for several years until stimulated to open by the heat of a high-intensity forest fire[].
A strongly fire-dependent species, regenerating prolifically after fires that expose mineral soils, but on poorer sites it is readily outcompeted by other pine species that grow in the area[].
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

The seeds of all Pinus species are more or less edible, and some are of good size and make very tasty and nutritious foods, often eaten in quantitiy. Others can be less desireable, either having a strongly resinous flavour, being bitter or, more commonly, rather too small and fiddly to make it very worthwhle even trying to eat them,
We have no specific information of the desireability of this species, though they are rather small (the size given includes the shell)[].
The dark-brown seeds are 3 - 6mm long and 2 - 3mm wide[].

A vanillin flavouring is obtained as a by-product of other resins that are released from the pulpwood[].

Medicinal

Oil of turpentine, obtained from the oleo-resin of all pine trees, is antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, diuretic, rubefacient, stimulant and vermifuge[, ]. It is a valuable remedy used internally in the treatment of kidney and bladder complaints and is used both internally and as a rub and steam bath in the treatment of rheumatic affections[]. It is also very beneficial to the respiratory system and so is useful in treating diseases of the mucous membranes and respiratory complaints such as coughs, colds, influenza and TB[].
Applied externally in the form of liniment plasters, poultices, herbal steam baths and inhalers, it is a very beneficial treatment for a variety of skin complaints, wounds, sores, burns, boils etc[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The needles contain a substance called terpene, this is released when rain washes over the needles and it has a negative effect on the germination of some plants, including wheat[].

Other Uses

A tan or green dye is obtained from the needles[].

Oleo-resins are present in the tissues of all species of pines, but these are often not present in sufficient quantity to make their extraction economically worthwhile[]. The resins are obtained by tapping the trunk, or by destructive distillation of the wood[, ]. In general, trees from warmer areas of distribution give the higher yields[].
Oil of Turpentine consists of an average of 20% of the oleo-resin[] and is separated by distillation[, ]. Turpentine has a wide range of uses including as a solvent for waxes etc, for thinning and dissolving varnish and paints, a shoe polish, medicinal etc[, ].
Rosin is also obtained by distillation of pine resin. This is used in paper glue and soap manufacturing, as a constituent of varnishes and paints, and for coating the bows of stringed musical instruments such as violins[, ].
Pitch can also be obtained from the resin and is used for waterproofing, as a wood preservative etc[].

The yellow-white heartwood has a creamy white sapwood[]. Softer and less resinous than Pinus douglasiana but used harvested for commercial use and employed for similar purposes[].

Propagation

Seed - germination normally takes 15 - 20 days, and the germination rate of fresh seeds is usually 80 - 95%. The presence of mycorrhizae is highly beneficial for survival and early growth, so it is recommended to inoculate with spores or to add soil from near established trees. Seedlings can be planted out 4 - 8 months after germination, when they are about 30cm tall[].
The seeds can be stored for years under dry, cold and airtight conditions[].

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