Pinus pinea or stone pine, produces edible “nuts”. However, as pines are gymnosperms and not flowering plants pine nuts are not true nuts or botanical fruits. They are simply bare seeds. Tree grows to 15-20 metres tall, has a broad umbrella shaped crown at maturity. Cones are large, heavy and rounded. They can measure 80 to 150 mm long. Cones take an long time—around three years—to fully ripen and turn a shiny chestnut-brown. Trees prefer loose, stony or rocky soils and do not tolerate clay or wet soils.
Pinus pinea or stone pine, produces edible “nuts”. However, as pines are gymnosperms and not flowering plants pine nuts are not true nuts or botanical fruits. They are simply bare seeds. Tree grows to 15-20 metres tall, has a broad umbrella shaped crown at maturity. Cones are large, heavy and rounded. They can measure 80 to 150 mm long. Cones take an long time—around three years—to fully ripen and turn a shiny chestnut-brown. Trees prefer loose, stony or rocky soils and do not tolerate clay or wet soils.