Plant · P-557

Korean Pine

Pinus koraiensis

Korean Pine is grown commercially across east Asia for its pine nuts, among the largest seeds any pine produces. Its cones never open on their own, so the nuts are gathered whole and pried out by hand rather than scattering themselves before harvest. It needs a cool climate to thrive - long hot summers stunt rather than help it - and its fallen needles release a compound that rain washes into the soil, suppressing germination in some nearby plants, wheat included. Plant it small: anything larger than about three feet checks badly when transplanted and can take years to recover its rooting and wind firmness.