Canary Island Pine

Canary Island Pine (Pinus canariensis) is the tree to plant when you need height quickly on a dry, exposed site. It reaches around 15m tall and 6m wide in a garden, holding a tall narrow silhouette clothed in long drooping blue green needles. Fast growing, drought tolerant and content in poor soil, it takes on the hard jobs most ornamental trees refuse.

Why you'll love it

• Height without width. At 15m by 6m it shelters and screens from a footprint far narrower than most large trees demand.
• Fast early, then permanent. It puts on real height in the first years, then settles into a long lived landmark tree.
• Built for hard ground. Drought, heat, wind and poor soil are all handled, which suits dry paddock corners and exposed coastal blocks.
• Foliage unlike other pines. The needles are long and softly drooping in blue green plumes rather than stiff and dark.

Where it works best

Windbreaks. Plant 5m apart in a single row for a windbreak. On very exposed ground a staggered double row at the same spacing filters the wind rather than deflecting it.

Screening and driveways. The narrow habit suits a long boundary or a formal avenue, though allow the full 6m of spread per tree when setting out the line.

Feature and shade. A single specimen anchors an acreage lawn, and once the tree is above 8m the canopy throws useful shade.

Growing Canary Island Pine in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun and open ground, with room overhead. It performs in warm temperate, Mediterranean, arid, subtropical and cool temperate gardens and is frost hardy once established. Wet tropical conditions sit outside its range.

Soil. Free draining is the only real requirement, and genuinely poor soil is no obstacle. Sandy, rocky and shallow sites all suit it. Waterlogged clay is the exception, so plant on a raised mound where the ground stays wet.

Water and feed. Deep weekly soaks through the first two summers, then very little. Mature trees are drought tolerant and rarely need feeding, though a slow release fertiliser in spring speeds establishment.

Pruning and space. Pruning is limited to lifting the lower limbs for clearance. Space is the real planning job: keep it 6m or more from buildings, fences and services, and expect a carpet of shed needles under the canopy.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in one size, a 45L pot. That is a well established young tree with a formed leader rather than a tube plant, so it settles quickly and adds height in its first full season.

Conifers travel well because the foliage holds its own moisture, and a little needle browning after transit is normal. Stake for the first year on windy sites and water deeply while the roots move out. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every tree carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read our guide to growing and maintaining conifers.
• Compare varieties in the conifer collection.
• See the rest of our plants for windbreaks.
• Browse fast growing shade trees for a wider canopy.

Common questions

How fast does it grow?

Quickly for a pine, particularly in the first five years with water and open ground. Growth slows as the tree matures towards its garden height of about 15m.

How far apart should I plant a windbreak?

Five metres apart in the row. Closer planting produces tall drawn trunks with thin lower foliage, which is the opposite of what a shelter belt needs.

Will it fit a suburban backyard?

Usually not. A mature spread of 6m and a height of 15m makes it a tree for acreage and rural blocks. On a standard suburban block choose something in the 4m to 8m range.

Does it drop a lot of needles?

Yes. Pines shed old needles continuously, so there will be a mat beneath the canopy year round. That mulch suppresses weeds in a garden bed and is a nuisance over a pool or driveway.