Pinus cembra L.

A medium sized tree. It grows 13-25 m tall. It is evergreen. The trunk is knotty. The branches are short and level branches. The young bark has resin blisters and later becomes scaly. The young leaves are soft and pale green. They become dense and stiff. They grow in groups of five. They are shiny green on top and whitish underneath. The shoots are hairy. The male flowers are yellow when ripe. They are in clusters at the base of new growth. The female flowers are red and at the tips. The cones are 10 cm long. They are small and erect and egg shaped. They ripen to red brown. The seeds are large. They are edible. The cones do not open naturally but cones rot on the ground.

It is a temperate plant. It is a very hardy tree. Trees need good drainage. They can grow on a range of soil types. It grows at 1,500-2,400 m altitude in the Alps. Heidelberg Victoria. It suits hardiness zones 4-7.

The seeds are eaten. They are used in some pastries and dairy foods. The seeds also yield an edible oil. The male flowers are eaten raw as a snack and famine food.

Fresh nuts can be sown immediately and germinate readily.