As a child growing up in Northern Virginia, I loved embracing and being embraced by the boughs of a young Eastern White pine growing in our yard. Standing enclosed within its branches, the soughing of the pine needles when the wind blew made an almost meditative sound. The smell of resin and pine needles blended aromatically, reminding me of Christmas and snowy winters yet to come.
In fall, I would gather its pine cones, which Mom and I fashioned into holiday decorations with bits of ribbon, glitter, paint and glue. They added sparkle to our holiday table, mantel, and Christmas tree. That pine was a gift that kept on giving.
American playwright Thornton Wilder never wrote about pine trees per se, but his musings about life in his three-act play Our Town had me pondering life as I collected pine cones from under a neighbor’s pine trees last evening. Wilder’s message was clear and simple: appreciate life. When it comes to departing this earth, our biggest regrets may not be about the roads not taken, but the small wonders that passed by unnoticed. Like the life cycle of pine trees for instance.
As an evergreen, ancient man viewed pine trees as magical symbols of eternal life, regeneration and resurrection. Prehistoric man relied on pine trees for wood, shelter, bedding and food. Our region was, and continues to be, blessed with several species of pine, each with its own unique qualities. However, they all have one thing in common, and that is how they reproduce.
Pines begin life with a pine cone. Pine trees reproduce by producing seeds located within petals or scales we call pine cones. Some of that annoying yellow pollen that coats your windshield every spring is produced by the male cones hanging low on the boughs. The female cones grow much higher up. This separation prevents the male pollen from falling on the female cones on the same tree. This promotes fertilization between surrounding pine trees, ensuring genetic variation within the stand.
Each grain of pollen contains all the genetic makeup of that tree, and each grain is also equipped with two small wing-like structures that assists the pollen in staying aloft in the air, ensuring wide distribution. The grains of pollen land on a receptive female cone and proceed to grow a long thin tube into the center of the cone where the egg is located. There, the genetic information in the pollen grain is combined with the genetic information in the egg and a fertilized embryo forms.
Over a period of about two years, the embryo grows into a seed that nestles safely between the petals of the cone. Before long, the female cone matures, becomes brown and develops scales. At this stage, the cone resembles the familiar shape we see littering the ground. Once all the seeds are mature, the cones open their scales and scatter their seeds. Squirrels and other mammals forage for the nutritious seeds or nuts, helping to disperse them. With luck, a young seed will find the conditions ideal, and a seedling will emerge.
In the southeastern United States, beginning in 1607 when the first colonists arrived, there were between one and one and half million acres of Longleaf pines in Virginia. It was the dominant species in the forest; towering giants that reached heights of 100 feet. The English did not see the pine tree as magical. Instead, they saw wealth, in the form of pitch for sealing the hulls of sailing ships, tar for turpentine, spars for rigging sails, grease for wagon axles, lumber, and staves to form barrels in which to ship other goods.
By 1850, more than one million acres of Longleaf pines had disappeared from Virginia. In 1893, forester B.E. Fernow declared the Longleaf pine to be “for all practical purposes, extinct.” Today, natural Longleaf forests in Virginia are essentially gone, and fewer than 200 mature, native trees are known to exist in the state.
The Longleaf was not the only pine variety to fall under a logger’s saw. Other species that were felled included the Shortleaf, Eastern White, Virginia, Loblolly, Red, Pitch and Pond. Some were more prolific than others and so were commercially valued. The Loblolly pine is native in 15 Atlantic coast states and is one of our fastest growing southern pines. One of the meanings of the word loblolly means mud puddle, for these pines love wet feet. Unfortunately, its love of moisture is its undoing.
Loblolly roots can withstand a certain amount of saltwater, but when the roots’ saltwater exposure exceeds their freshwater exposure, the trees weaken and eventually die. According to Mike Valenti, forestry administrator for Delaware’s Department of Agriculture, saltwater in the soil caused by gradual sea level rise, super tides, storm surges, and land subsidence weakens the trees and makes them susceptible to pine beetle attack. Stressed trees give off odors, called volatiles, that the insects detect and are attracted to. Healthy trees have chemicals and resins in their systems that provide a defense system to drive out the beetles if they are attacked, but trees weakened by saltwater intrusion have weakened defenses. A drive to area beaches reveals acres of “ghost” trees where healthy stands of Loblolly once stood.
The Eastern White pine is a common forest and landscape tree. It is long lived and prolific. Native Americans relied on it for edible and medicinal uses. Although it has no tubers or berries, its tiny pine nuts are rich in protein. The needles were used to brew hot tea. Steeped in boiling water, the tea had a surprisingly good flavor, and it was used medically to clear phlegm and provided a good source of vitamin C. During particularly harsh winters, the inner bark was eaten to stave off starvation.
Pitch pines are one of the first trees to spring up in a clear-cut area. They provide habitat and food for many wildlife species, including wild turkey, woodpeckers, flycatchers, blue jays, warblers and chickadees. Deer consume seedlings and new sprouts. However, it grows well on unfavorable sites, and in the past it was a major source of pitch and timber for shipbuilding, mine timbers, and railroad ties because the wood’s high resin content. Some botanists treat pond pines as a subspecies of Pitch pines.
The Virginia pine is considered a scrub pine, smaller than other pines and with a tendency to grow as a broad, open pyramid when young, becoming flat-topped and horizontal with age. Its knotty wood has a tendency to warp with moisture, however its long fibers make it a great source of wood pulp. Although not particularly ornamental, it can be used as a Christmas tree with selective pruning for that iconic pyramidal shape.
Despite man’s assault on Virginia’s vast pine forests, most of these venerable trees are still plentiful in bay and river country. Now, at holiday time perhaps it is time to think about bringing these evergreens into our homes as the season to celebrate everlasting life, and as a reminder of nature’s return in spring. When we decorate our homes with fresh greenery, we are drawing on traditions handed down by the Druids, Romans and early Christians. Many of these traditions came from our early immigrants who believed in the magical powers of these decorative elements. Lucky for us, the magic lives on in the beauty and aroma of these greens, even if the meaning itself has been lost.
HOLIDAY DECORATING WITH PINES
Surround your front door with pine boughs wired together to create an elegant garland. Decorate the garland with yards of ribbon, colorful ornaments, fairy lights, and pine cones. Welcome family and visitors by hanging a wreath or swag on your door using fresh greenery or pine cones trimmed with bows, dried apples or orange slices, and bells or ornaments. Tuck in some holly branches and berries or gilt magnolia leaves to create a festive entrance.
Kissing balls made of pine greenery and mistletoe are traditionally hung from the ceiling in entranceways, inviting lovers to pause for a holiday kiss. Pine boughs can be woven along staircase banisters or placed on the mantel with strings of fairy lights and candles. Enhance the boughs with ornaments, dried fruits, flowers or pine cones and bring all the goodness of the outdoors into your home. For some, fresh pine trees have replaced fir trees as the family’s Christmas tree of choice. Fresh pine greens can stay fresh indoors for two to three weeks and do not shed their needles as readily as firs or balsams.
Pine cones have been used for centuries for cleansing, purification and repelling negative energy. Hang them in your home or business to bring success and prosperity. Hang them over your bed to ward off illness during the long winter months. Toss them into your fireplace as fire starters.
Pine cones gathered in the fall can be painted, flocked, glittered or left natural and tied with ribbons to create swags, tree ornaments or just heaped in a bowl. No one wants unwelcome “guests”, so before decorating with pine cones you have gathered, place them on a baking sheet and bake them for 30 minutes at 200 degrees to kill any bugs hiding inside. They can be stored afterwards in an airtight tub to be re-used year after year.
Thinking back to Wilder’s message, why not take a stroll in the forest, stand stock still, listen, notice, savor, smell, touch, and let the song and the gifts of the pine tree bring you joy and solace. Merry Christmas!