Gobre Salla (Pinus wallichiana)

Cone of Blue Pine

Pinus wallichiana (Gobre Salla) : Photograph By - Rabin Suwal
Lete, Mustang

Pinus wallichiana is a coniferous evergreen tree native to the Himalaya. It grows in mountain valleys at altitudes of 1800–4300 m (rarely as low as 1200 m), between 30 m and 50 m in height. It favours a temperate climate with dry winters and wet summers.

This tree is often known as 'Blue pine', 'Himalayan White Pine' and 'Himalayan Blue Pine'. In the past, it was also known by the invalid botanic names Pinus griffithii Mc. Clelland or "Pinus excelsa" Wall., Pinus chylla Lodd.

The leaves ("needles") are in fascicles (bundles) of five and are 12–18 cm long. They are noted for being flexible along their length, and often droop gracefully. The cones are long and slender, 16–32 cm, yellow-buff when mature, with thin scales; the seeds are 5–6 mm long with a 20–30 mm wing.

Typical habitats are mountain screes and glacier forelands, but it will also form old growth forests as the primary species or in mixed forests with deodar, birch, spruce, and fir. In some places it reaches the tree line.

The wood is moderately hard, durable and highly resinous. It is good firewood but gives off a pungent resinous smoke. It is a commercial source of turpentine which is superior quality than that of P. roxburghii but is not produced so freely.

It is also a popular tree for planting in parks and large gardens, grown for its attractive foliage and large, decorative cones. It is also valued for its relatively high resistance to air pollution, tolerating this better than some other conifers.

Local Name	:	Gobre Salla
English Name	:	Blue Pine
Family	:	Taxaceae
Scientific Name	:	Pinus wallichiana
Habit	:	Tree up to 30 m ht.
Fruiting Period	:
Habitat	:	South facing slopes at higher altitude 1000-3500 m
Occurrence in Nepal	:	Through out high hill and mountain belt in Nepal and India.
Use	:	Medicine, fuel wood, resign