Ancient symbols of fertility and immortality.  To native Americans they represented wisdom and longevity.

Symbolic also of Peace and resilience.

Druids lit their bonfires out of scots pine branches enticing the sun to return to start the cycle of seasons

Scots pine is one of the strongest of the softwoods

Their Pinecones are associated with human enlightenment and resurrection.

Conifers are some of the oldest plant life dating back 300 million years.  Pines can currently be traced back to 153 million years ago.

The Mexican god ‘Chucomecoayh’ is depicted holding a pine cone in his one hand and an evergreen tree in the other.

In Egypt, the staff is shown to have two snakes coiled around meeting at the top with a pine cone

In Roman times, the pine cone was linked with Venus, the Goddess of love.

Pine trees are depicted in Chinese art and are referenced to the tales of the eight immortals

From 1127 to 1279 the pine tree in Chinese song art often symbolises a gentleman of virtuous character

Chinese philosophers and literati are often portrayed sitting under pine trees as a symbol of the ideal life

In Japan, pine trees represent the New Year and renewal

The Pine is the national tree of scotland

Scots pines were the first to colonise Ireland when the glaciers retreated and melted over 12,000 years ago.

Pine trees were once used to build megalithic hedges over 8,000 years ago.

Pinewood is largely water repellent so often used in shipbuilding

Pine resin is distilled to make turpentine

The vapour rising from the pine needles in a forest reacts with the oxygen in the air to form clouds

Native american tribes considered the pine their sacred tree and the znez Perce, Hopis and Shonone tribes to name a few, used the pine for medicine, cooking and for craftwork

The pine cone featured prominently in their creation stories

In the Christian faith the pine tree represents Gods everlasting love for humanity

In Taoism, legend tells that if pine resin seeps into the soil for a 1000 years it will produce a mushroom that gives eternal life

In Scotland, pines were planted to mark the burials of chieftains and warriors

Scots pine is one of only 3 native conifers in the uk.  The other two being juniper and yew.

The scots pine is a keystone species…and once, as part of the ancient caledonian forest, covered over 3.7 million acres.  It now covers just 1% of that.

One of the oldest scots pines can be found in Glen Loyne, Invernesshire.  It is estimated to be about 560 years old.

In a mast year, a scots pine can produce over 3000 cones.

Folklore warns against felling a pine on a waning moon as the resun and sap are influenced by the moon’s gravitational pull.

Legend has it that a farmer, to let the cattle and sheep drovers know they could take rest, food and shelter and grazing for their amimals at his farm, would plant three scots pines as a welcome.  The ancient farmsteads have long disappeared, the stones being repurposed over the centuries but there are often to be found a group of 3 lone pines, still growing, giving a clue to the welcome once given.  😊