Korean pine

The Korean pine forms forests at the foot of the Paektu volcano, and its large seeds are prized pine nuts.

A stately conifer growing to 30–40 m, with long, dark green needles in bundles of five. Its large cones, 9–16 cm long, do not open on their own – they contain large, edible seeds that are dispersed by squirrels and nutcrackers, which bury them for the winter. It grows in cool, humid mixed forests with larch, spruce, fir and maples. The wood is light and easy to work, and the nuts are an important foodstuff.

Significance in the country

Korean pine forests cover the northern provinces of the DPRK around Mount Paektu, regarded as sacred; chat pine nuts are gathered for export and for traditional cooking, for example in rice porridge.

Where it grows

Mountain forests of the north: Ryanggang and Chagang, the Hamgyong provinces and the mountains of North Pyongan; smaller stands in the Kangwon mountains.

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