Japanese Black Pine

Look

Leaves

Stiff, sharp-tipped dark green needles grow in bundles of two.

Flowers

Instead of flowers like those of flowering plants, it produces pollen cones and seed cones. Pollen cones are reddish-yellow and young seed cones are reddish.

Fruit

Small egg-shaped to conical woody cones, borne singly or in pairs, with brown to black winged seeds.

Bark

Blackish-gray bark splits lengthwise into irregular scales.

Where it grows

In Korea

Native (Korean Peninsula)

Native to

Central and southern Japan and southern Korea.

Ecology

In its native range it grows on seashores and rocky cliffs, and tolerates sand, salt and dryness.

Famous Japanese Black Pine trees in Korea

• Japanese Black Pine (Guardian Pine) of Seongnae-ri, HaenamNatural Monument No. 430 · about 400 years · Haenam-eup, Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do
• Japanese Black Pine of Jwasuyeong Fortress Site, BusanNatural Monument No. 270 · about 400 years · Suyeong-dong, Suyeong-gu, Busan
• Japanese Black Pine of Susan-ri, JejuNatural Monument No. 441 · about 400 years · Aewol-eup, Jeju-si, Jeju-do
• Japanese Black Pine of Okha-ri, GoheungProvincial Monument · about 300 years · Goheung-eup, Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do
• Japanese Black Pine of Seokyong-ri, MuanProvincial Monument · about 300 years · Haeje-myeon, Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do
• Japanese Black Pine of Yangjang-ri, YeongamProvincial Monument · about 300 years · Gunseo-myeon, Yeongam-gun, Jeollanam-do
• Japanese Black Pine of Jukseong-ri, GijangProvincial Monument · about 300 years · Gijang-eup, Gijang-gun, Busan
• Japanese Black Pines of Galsan-riProvincial Monument · about 300 years · Gwangseok-myeon, Nonsan-si, Chungcheongnam-do
• Japanese Black Pine of Samcheon-dong, JeonjuNatural Monument No. 355 · about 250 years · Samcheon-dong, Wansan-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do
• Japanese Black Pines of Mangun-myeon, MuanProvincial Monument · Mangun-myeon, Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do
• Japanese Black Pine of Yongjeong-ri, MuanProvincial Monument · Hyeongyeong-myeon, Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do
• Japanese Black Pine Forest of Songho-ri, HaenamProvincial Monument · Songji-myeon, Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do
• Japanese Black Pine Grove of Sancheondan, JejuNatural Monument No. 160 · Ara 1-dong, Jeju-si, Jeju-do

Sources

• NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
• 국립수목원 국가표준식물목록(자생식물)
• 대전광역시 한밭수목원, 제4차 수목원진흥실시계획(2019–2023)
• 산림청·국립수목원 (2012), 한국의 가로수 — 나무가 만드는 아름다운 길
• 한국농촌경제연구원 — 조경수 관측월보 2025년 12월(한국조경수협회 게시 원문)
• 국가유산청 국가유산포털(천연기념물 제주 산천단 곰솔 군)
• 디지털제주문화대전(한국학중앙연구원) — 한라산신제단
• 디지털제주문화대전(한국학중앙연구원) — 산천단
• 아시아경제 — [고규홍의 나무와 사람] 한라山神은 왜 산천단으로 내려왔을까 (2020-02-26)