Dwarf Stone Pine

(Pinus pumila), a branching procumbent shrub or, less frequently, arbuscle (height, 3–5 m) of the family Pinaceae. The evergreen leaves, which are in fascicles of five, are trihedral, 4–7 cm long, and obscurely serrulate. The cones are ovoid or oblong, 3.5–4.5 cm long, light brown, and lustrous. The seeds, which measure 7–10 cm long and are edible, are distributed by the nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes).

The dwarf stone pine is found in Eastern Siberia, the Far East, Japan, and Northern Mongolia. Although it usually grows in dense thickets, it is also found in the underbrush and in sparse forests at altitudes of 600–2,000 m above sea level. In the USSR thickets of dwarf stone pine account for as much as 2.8 percent of all the forest area. Sables, squirrels, bears and other animals dwell in the thickets. The wood and the needles are used for fuel; they also yield turpentine, pitch, and essential oils. The infusion obtained from soaking the needles in water is an effective antiscorbutic. The seeds contain nut oil. Dwarf stone pines are grown as ornamentals in gardens and parks.