Pinus pinea ‘Silver Crest’®

Make your garden, patio, balcony or living room even more inviting in the autumn. After all, Pinus pinea ‘Silver Crest’® is a cultivar of the Parasol Pine which is native to southern Europe and is perfect for making beautiful creations, whether you plant it in the garden or in pretty coloured pots. Combine it, for example with our Gaultheria ‘Big Berry’ (Teaberry), which is a mini-shrub simply covered with little red berries. This is a good way to create your very own Christmas arrangement. What could be more inviting? The Pinus pinea (also called the mini-Christmas tree at garden centres) is also available with artificial snow to make it perfect for Christmas. This snowy effect, however, will not harm the tree at all. The little tree will naturally shed its ‘snow’ all by itself. You can also find it already decorated with a colourful Christmas garland: nice for either indoors or outdoors!

Care tips

In the spring, you can prune your Pinus pinea simply but trimming off its top. This way, the tree will retain its short stature for a longer time. If you don’t do this, this tree will undergo a real transformation. It can grow to become a quite sizable tree with long needles. And a very pretty one, too. In their natural habitat in the Mediterranean region, you often see these trees with their unique parasol-shaped crown and outstretching branches attached to a short trunk. Their needles can grow to a length of 15 centimetres and their rich seeds can be eaten either raw or roasted. So, if you want this tree to grow to its mature size, be sure to consider this when choosing a location for it.

Interesting facts

The Pinus pinea is so very versatile. If the tree is growing in your garden, pick some of its green needles once in awhile, let them dry for around 14 days, and then use them to make a delightful tea. Simply drop the needles into a cup, pour boiling water over them, and then pour the tea through a sieve. Add a little honey, and it’s ready to drink – try it sometime! You can also boil a few branches of Pinus pinea in a pan. The result is a natural pine-scented air freshener all through your house. What better way to make your home feel even more inviting? The scent even helps to reduce stress. As if this weren’t enough, you could also use the scented water in your bathtub.