Pinus montezumae facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pinus montezumae |
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Pinus
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montezumae
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The Montezuma pine (scientific name: Pinus montezumae) is a type of conifer tree. Conifers are trees that usually have needles and cones, like pines and firs. This tree belongs to the Pinaceae family, which includes many well-known pine trees.
It grows naturally in Mexico and Central America. In these places, people often call it ocote. The Montezuma pine can grow quite tall, usually around 35 meters (about 115 feet) high. Its trunk can be about 80 centimeters (31 inches) wide. Sometimes, it can even reach 40 meters tall and 1 meter wide! This tree has a round shape at the top, called a crown. Its bark is a dark brown-gray color.
One special thing about the Montezuma pine (especially the rudis variety) is its needles. Most pines have needles in groups of two, three, or five. But the Montezuma pine is the only one known to have seven needles in each small bundle, called a fascicle.
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Where the Montezuma Pine Lives
The Montezuma pine is found from northern Mexico all the way south to Nicaragua. In Mexico, you can see it in states like Nuevo León and Jalisco. It also grows in Nicaragua.
Mountain Homes
This tree lives in the mountains, specifically in the Sierra Madre Oriental and Sierra Madre Occidental ranges. It prefers high places, growing at altitudes from 2,000 to 3,200 meters (about 6,500 to 10,500 feet) above sea level.
Climate and Rainfall
Montezuma pines usually grow in areas that get about 800 to 1,000 millimeters (31 to 39 inches) of rain each year. In most of its habitat, the rain falls mostly during the summer. However, in the state of Veracruz, it rains throughout the year, and the climate is very wet. Interestingly, some Montezuma pines in Jalisco can even grow in drier, semi-arid places.
The tree likes warm to cool climates, with temperatures usually between 10°C and 18°C (50°F to 64°F). If it grows at the highest parts of its range, it often gets snow in the winter.
Uses of Montezuma Pine Wood
The wood of the Montezuma pine, known as ocote wood, is very useful. It has a yellowish-brown white color, and its inner wood (heartwood) is light brown. This wood is hard and heavy, making it good for building things.
Flammable Resin
The Montezuma pine is also valued for its resin. This resin is so flammable that if you cut a branch and light it, it will burn like a torch! It produces black smoke when it burns. Because of this, ocote wood is very commonly used in Mexico to start campfires and barbecues.
Growth and Names
The Montezuma pine grows slowly for the first three to six years. After this early stage, it becomes a fast-growing tree. The cities of Ocotlán in Mexico and Ocotal in Nicaragua are even named after this special tree.
Montezuma Pine Around the World
Besides its natural home, the Montezuma pine has been planted in other parts of the world. It grows in tree farms in South Africa and Queensland, Australia, in areas that are not too high up. It also thrives at high altitudes in countries like Kenya, Malawi, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Bolivia. In New Zealand and New South Wales, Australia, trees planted near sea level have also grown very well.
Images for kids
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A close-up of Montezuma pine shoots.
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A Montezuma pine tree growing in Sheffield Park.
See also
In Spanish: Pino moctezuma para niños
