Uses
The Swiss Pine is a popular ornamental tree in parks and large gardens, giving steady though not fast growth on a wide range of sites where the climate is cold. It is very tolerant of severe winter cold, hardy down to at least −50 °C (−58 °F), and also of wind exposure. The seeds are also harvested and sold as pine nuts and can be used to deliciously flavor schnapps (see Ref. 2).
The wood is the most used for carvings in Val Gardena since the 17th century.
The cone of the Swiss Pine was the field sign of the Roman legion stationed in Rhaetia in 15 BC, and hence it is used as the heraldic charge (known as Zirbelnuss in German) in the coat of arms of the city of Augsburg, the site of the Roman fort Augusta Vindelicorum.
It is also a species that is often used in bonsai.
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