Chinese pinenut
Pinus koraiensis Siebold & Zucc.
Pinus koraiensis, commonly known as Chinese pinenut, is a pine species native to Korea, northeastern China, the Russian Far East, and Japan. It is a second-class nationally protected plant in China and has significant ecological and economic value. The species is a relic from the Tertiary period and is recognized as rare by the United Nations. It grows at varying elevations depending on the region, from 600 to 900 meters in the north to 2,000 to 2,600 meters in Japan. It is known in Chinese as 红松 (hóng sōng), or red pine, due to its reddish features.
Description
Pinus koraiensis belongs to the Pinaceae family and is found across a range that includes Korea, Manchuria, Japan, and the Russian Far East. It is a tall tree with needle-like leaves and produces edible seeds. The species is economically important for timber and its seeds, which are used in food and traditional medicine. It is also ecologically significant, forming extensive forests in parts of China, where it covers approximately 30 million hectares, or 60% of the global total. The tree is distinguished by its reddish bark and other features, and it is protected under Chinese law due to its conservation status.
Other common names
Korean PineChinese pinenut
Distribution
NO · Global · TW · Amur · Japan · Khabarovsk · Korea · Manchuria · Primorye
Synonyms
Pinus mandschuricaPinus strobusPinus prokoraiensisStrobus koraiensisApinus koraiensisPinus cembra var. mandschuricaPinus cembra var. excelsaPinus koraiensis subsp. prokoraiensis