Pinus sylvestris

An erratically branched Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine) is a favourite among character trees. Light is hugely important for the way they develop. Everyone knows them from pine forests, where long tall trunks can be seen with a parasol-like crown only at the top. They then grow upwards in search of light, and the trunks become bare.

If you give them plenty of space and light, however, we see specimens like you know them from nature reserves, where they are often solitary. They grow less tall, but develop broadly and capriciously, creating beautiful silhouettes.