Notice

Colin Mills, compiler of the Hortus Camdenensis, died in late November 2012 after a short illness. As he always considered the Hortus his legacy, it is his family's intention to keep the site running in perpetuity. It will not, however, be updated in the near future.

Pinus radiata D.Don subsp. insignis Schwer.

A large, hardy evergreen conifer with deeply fissured dark brown bark, a dense head of branches, the usually paired leaves densely crowded on the branchlets.  Cones to 15cm long.  To 30m.  An important source of commercial timber in Australia and naturalised in some cooler districts.  [RHSD, Hortus, Hilliers’, FNSW]. 

Horticultural & Botanical History

Introduced to Britain by David Douglas in 1833.  [JD].  Leaves, female cone and seeds are figured in Die Coniferen [Die Coniferen t.VIII, figure 1/1840-41].

History at Camden Park

Not recorded in the published catalogues.  The first record is in desiderata to Loddiges’ nursery on the 6th January 1845 [MP A2933-2, p.28].  It may have been obtained from Loddiges’ or from the London Horticultural Society as it was also included among desiderata in a letter to John Lindley dated 15th February 1848 but was not marked ‘arrived’ on Macarthur’s copy [MP A2933-1, p.157].  It may not have been grown at Camden Park. 

Notes

Published Jan 24, 2009 - 03:20 PM | Last updated Jul 29, 2010 - 03:30 PM

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Illustrated are leaves, female cone and seeds. Die Coniferen t.VIII, figure 1, 1840-41.

Pinus radiata D.Don subsp. insignis Schwer. | Die Coniferen t.VIII, figure 1/1840-41 | BHL.  Pinus radiata insignis is figure 1, in the centre.

Family Pinaceae
Category
Region of origin

California
Synonyms
  • Pinus insignis Douglas 
Common Name

Radiata pine, Monterey pine
Name in the Camden Park Record

Pinus insignis 
Confidence level high