Scots pine.

Scots pine: description, properties and application

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) is an evergreen coniferous tree of the pine family that can reach a height of up to 40 meters. It is distributed throughout almost the entire forest zone of Russia, and is one of the main forest-forming species.

The pine trunk is straight, and the bark is reddish, layered and chipped off in thin plates. Young trees have a pyramidal crown, while old trees have a wide and loose crown. Young shoots are bare and greenish. The buds are resinous, elongated-ovoid and densely covered with brown scales. The leaves are needle-shaped, hard and remain on the tree for 2-3 years.

Scots pine blooms in May-June. The flowers are naked, monoecious and collected in cones. Mature cones are yellowish-gray, matte, and crack when the seeds ripen.

Scots pine grows on sandy, sandy loam, rocky, less often chernozem soils, limestone and chalk deposits. It loves light and is one of the most common forest species.

In medicine, Scots pine is used as a medicinal plant. Buds, needles and resin serve as excellent medicinal raw materials. Buds are harvested in winter and early spring, before their intensive growth begins, in places where forest areas are felled and thinned. They are cut with branches up to 3 mm long and dried in an attic with good ventilation and under a canopy. In good weather, the raw material dries in 10-15 days. Resin is collected by tapping from those trees that are to be cut down in the next 15 years.

Pine needles contain essential oil, resin, ascorbic acid, carotene, tannins and other substances. It contains vitamins C, K, Bi, Br and P, tannins, carotene, mineral salts, starch and bitter substance. Preparations from pine have an expectorant, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, distracting, local irritant and analgesic effect.

Pine buds in the form of a decoction are used for colds, inflammation of the respiratory tract, bronchi, rheumatism and skin diseases. To prepare it, pour 10 g of kidneys into 1 glass of hot water, leave for 15 minutes and filter. Take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day before meals.

Pine resin is used as an external remedy for skin diseases, rheumatism and colds. To prepare an ointment based on pine oleoresin, you need to mix 50 g of oleoresin with 200 ml of vegetable oil, heat in a water bath until the oleoresin is completely dissolved and strain. The finished ointment is used for massage for pain in muscles and joints.

Scots pine is also widely used for decorative purposes, especially for creating hedges and parklands. Its wood is used to make paper, plywood, barrels, building materials and fuel.

In addition, Scots pine is a food source. From its cones, edible seeds are obtained - pine nuts, which are rich in protein, fatty acids and microelements.

In general, Scots pine is a universal plant that is used in various branches of human activity, from medicine to industry and cooking.