Cold Hardiness of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris L.)

Abstract

The natural range of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is the widest among the pine species (Mirov 1967). It is found at latitudes from 70°N in northern Scandinavia to about 40°N in the south, in Turkey and Spain, and at longitudes from 10°W in the west, with a small population in Scotland (6°W) to 150°E in the east in Russia (Figure 1). At the eastern end of its range the northern distribution limit shifts south, reaching about 65°N at the Ural mountains. Scots pine typically grows at low altitudes, even close to sea level in western Europe, but the altitude of the growing site increases in more southerly locations. In north-eastern Europe and on the west-Siberian Lowlands the northern limit occasionally follows the southern limit of the permafrost zone (Sokolov et al. 1977). At the southern limit of its distribution in the Caucasus mountains in Turkey Scots pine grows at elevations above 800 m, even as high as 2500 m (Rubner 1960; Sarvas 1964; Boratyński 1991).