Mountain pines dominate a large part of the National Park forests.
The mountain pine is the most common tree in the area of the Pass dal Fuorn. There are two varieties: the erect and reclining mountain pine. Seeds are distributed by the wind and germinate even on dry, stony ground. Mountain pines were the first trees to recolonise the areas laid bare by deforestation in the 19th century.
Mountain pines bloom in June. Their short, hard needles grow in pairs, not to be confused with the cembra pine whose needles grow in clusters of 5.
The erect and reclining forms of mountain pine differ in their growth, their cones and their habitats. In the National Park, the territory of the erect mountain pine (western Alps) overlaps with that of the reclining mountain pine (eastern Alps). Consequently, a great variety of shapes are found. Sometimes a reclining mountain pine may suddenly grow upwards, taking on the shape of an erect mountain pine.
The erect mountain pine occurs widely in the National Park in heather and mountain pine forests. Its hook-shaped branches are typical, enabling identification and differentiating it from the cembra pine.
The Val dal Botsch provides numerous opportunities to observe the various shapes of mountain pines. The reclining mountain pine grows in the zone of the forest limit and on steep slopes.
