Pine Trees

Pine trees are one of the most common trees in the northern parts of the world.  They are evergreen (meaning they never lose their sharp thin leaves), and most are very tall, with a fragrant smell. The skin of the tree (bark) is usually thick, and the branches are very regularly arranged on the tree. This all gives them a very nice appearance, and thus they are often planted in parks, gardens, and public spaces. And of course, they are famous for being used as Christmas trees.

One interest thing about pines is that they grow for a long time, sometimes up to 1000 years, or even more. In fact, the oldest living things on earth are trees. Some bristlecone pines (in the White Mountains of California) are almost 5,000 years old, and still going strong. The oldest one of these, called ‘Methuselah’, is over 4,600 years old.

The other interesting thing about pines is the cones which they produce. These cones play a role in many cultures in the Northern Hemisphere, where they are favoured by children as natural toys, or for art and craft purposes. The cones can be male (containing pollen) or female (containing seeds), even on the same tree! The seeds inside are released by birds breaking the cones open, by the wind simply blowing the seeds away, or by natural forest fires which melt parts of the cone. The cone opens up, and the seeds fall out. Wow, that is so simple, right?

Question Time

What does ‘evergreen’ mean? ……………………………………………………………

Why are they often planted in parks and gardens? ……………………………….……..

How old is ‘Methuselah’? ………………………………………………………….……….

How do children use pine cones? ………………………………………………………….

What causes parts of the pine cone to melt? ……………………………………………

Word-Learning Time

Do you know the meaning of the underlined words?

Fragrant

To arrange

Famous         

To favour

To release

To melt

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