Austrian Pine

Pinus nigra

Austrian Pine in Open Meadow
A narrow silhouette rising beneath a storm-heavy sky.
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk IV
Lens: EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
Settings: ISO 10000 • Aperture f/6.3 • Shutter 1/200 s

Description

The Austrian Pine (also called Black Pine) is a rugged, mid-sized conifer native to central and southern Europe but widely planted across the upper Midwest. Known for its long, stiff needles, dense branching, and dark, rounded crown, it is a common choice for windbreaks, old farmstead plantings, and landscape screens.

Its overall form is heavier and more compact than the airy structure of Red Pine or the narrow shape of Jack Pine.

Cones Held in the Needles
Fine paired needles and tightly clustered cones typical of the species.
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk IV
Lens: EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
Settings: ISO 10000 • Aperture f/2.8 • Shutter 1/200 s

Key Identification Traits

• Needles:
  • In pairs (2)
  • 4–6 inches long
  • Stiff, straight, often darker than Red Pine
• Cones:
  • Oval, 2–3 inches
  • Ripen to pale brown
  • Often occur in dense clusters along older branches
• Habit:
  • A broad, rounded crown
  • Dense, spreading lower limbs
  • Heavy branching all the way to the ground in younger trees

Crown

Austrian Pines develop a full, rounded crown rather than the narrow, conical form of native Red Pine. The upper branches flare outward, creating a silhouette that appears storm-resistant and muscular.

Austrian Pine — Crown Structure
A rounded, weighty crown built from stiff needles and stout branch angles.
The crown broadens early in life, producing a layered form that remains dense even in winter.

Trunk

The trunk of an Austrian Pine is gray-brown, covered in small, rough, scaly plates that darken with age. It lacks the orange flaking of Red Pine and instead forms a muted, armor-like surface.

As the canopy thickens, shaded limbs create a tangle of twigs around the trunk, giving young and mid-aged trees their distinctive, rugged silhouette. Older individuals may show deeper furrowing, but the bark remains dark, blocky, and coarse, a hallmark of the species.

Austrian Pine — Trunk and Lower Branches
Where dense lower limbs frame a rough, darkened trunk.
The bark forms tight, irregular plates—tougher and darker than that of Red Pine, and often covered by a shadowed tangle of persistent branches.
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk IV
Lens: EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
Settings: ISO 10000 • Aperture f/2.8 • Shutter 1/200 s

Bark

The lower trunk of the Austrian Pine is coated in dark gray-brown bark broken into small, rough, irregular plates. Unlike Red Pine, which develops broad orange plates as it matures, Austrian Pine retains its deep, muted coloration throughout life. The bark appears almost armored, with tight fissures and scaly textures that contrast with the dense needles and heavy branching above.

Leaves

• Needles stiff and straight, in bundles of two
• Typically dark green, holding color through winter
• Sharp to the touch
• Dense enough to obscure branches from a distance

Austrian Pine — Needle Nodes
New needles pushing from resin-glazed buds.
A close view of the growth clusters shows heavy bud scales and resin around the needle bases—a signature of the species’ stout architecture.
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk IV
Lens: EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
Settings: ISO 16000 • Aperture f/2.8 • Shutter 1/640 s

Buds

Cones

Austrian Pine — Branch and Cones
Clusters of stiff needles and thick-scaled cones along older branches.
Unlike the serotinous cones of Lodgepole Pine, Austrian Pine cones open normally without fire and drop within a few seasons. They grow in tight clusters that wrap around older branch wood.
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk IV
Lens: EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
Settings: ISO 250 • Aperture f/13.0 • Shutter 0.3 s

• 2–3 inches long
• Thick scales, each ending in a low blunt prickle
• Occur in clusters on mature wood
• Ripen to a warm, pale brown

Habitat

Austrian Pine (Pinus nigra) was intentionally brought to North America by European settlers—it did not arrive on its own, and it is not native to any part of the continent. Its introduction was purposeful, practical, and closely tied to how settlers evaluated the landscape. Although native to Europe, Austrian Pine thrives in the Upper Midwest’s:

• Dry to moderately moist soils
• Open, wind-exposed grasslands
• Road edges, parks, and older farm windbreaks
• Poor sandy or gravelly soils where few other trees persist

Early settlers recognized some similarities between Austrian Pine and native pines—especially Red Pine, Jack Pine, and White Pine—but the decision to plant it was not based on resemblance. Instead, it was chosen because it survived stress better than many native species. Its durability explains why it commonly appears in restoration areas, field margins, and experimental plantings.

Ironically, the very toughness that made Austrian Pine popular is no longer enough. Two major diseases—Diplodia tip blight and Lophodermium needle cast—now widely limit its use, and many plantations and windbreaks across the Midwest are in decline because of these pathogens.

References:

• National Audubon Society: Trees of North America (2021)
• Personal field notes (2025)
• Photographed near Lakeville, Minnesota