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 teocote Schied. ex Schldl. & Cham.

Frost-hardy tree with thick, furrowed bark towards the base of the trunk, orange-red to brown and thinner above, needles usually 3 per fascicle, and solitary or paired, ovoid cones, to 9cm.  To 30m.  [RHSD, Hortus].

Horticultural & Botanical History

Introduced to Britain in 1826.  [JD].  ‘Pinus teocote Schlecht. & Cham.  Nuevo Leon to Tepic and Chiapas; type from Mount Orizaba.  Tree, 20 to 35 meters high; bark at first thin, red, deciduous, in age thick and rough; leaves 10 to 20 cm. long; cones spreading or reflexed, brown or sublustrous.  The following names are said to be applied to the tree in various localities: “Jalocote,” “xalcotl” (Nahuatl), “ocote,” “ocotl,” “pino real.”  The tree produces turpentine (“ocotzol,” “trementina de pino,” “trementina de ocote”) which is used in medicine as a balsamic stimulant, and for other purposes for which turpentine is generally employed.  The tar (“brea”) remaining after the distillation of turpentine is used for making torches, in soap, etc.’  [Contributions from the US National Herbarium – Trees and Shrubs of Mexico vol. 23 part 1, p.56/1920].  Leaves, female cones and seeds are figured in Die Coniferen.  [Die Coniferen t.XV/1840-41].

History at Camden Park

Listed in the 1845, 1850 and 1857 catalogues [C.75/1845].

Notes

Published Jul 23, 2009 - 05:16 PM | Last updated Jul 29, 2010 - 03:26 PM

Leaves, female cones and seeds are figured.  Die Coniferen t.XV, 1840-41.

Pinus teocote Schied. ex Schldl. & Cham. | Die Coniferen t.XV/1840-41 | BHL.  Pinus teocote is fig.iii on the right.

Family Pinaceae
Category
Region of origin

Mexico

Synonyms
  • Pinus teocote macrocarpa Shaw
Common Name

Twisted leaf pine

Name in the Camden Park Record

Pinus Teocote 

Confidence level high