Pinus radiata

Monterey pine was, until the emergence and proliferation of Pine Pitch Canker disease, a widely planted landscape tree in California. In 1994 it was the most commonly reported species in the CTFRP dabase because at that time a large number of reports originated from Golden Gate Park in San Francisco where the species is a major component of the tree population in the park. Monterey pine is now the second most commonly reported species in the CTFRP database closely following coast live oak. (See CTFRP Statistics: 50 or more) It is native to the slopes and bluffs of the central California coastline in closed cone forests below 1000ft.


The data for 1994 in the comparison table is derived from Edberg, R. J., Berry, A.M. and L.R. Costello. 1994. Patterns of Structural Failure in Monterey Pine. Journal of Arboriculture 20(6).

Pinus radiata (Monterey pine) Summary Comparisons 1994 and 2010

1994 2010
All species 1216 4886
P. radiata 186 505
% of total 15.2% 10.3%
Next top species %of total Cupressus macrocarpa 12% 9%
Quercus agrifolia 9% 10.8%
Quercus lobata 5% 4.8%
Location of failure trunk 21% 27.5%
branch 59% 38.4%
root 20% 34.1%
Mean DBH 34" 33"
Mean height 71' 70'
Site categories park 65% 54%
residential 14% 20%
school 14% 11%
Stand type planted 85% 86%
Branch defects (excluding decay)
heavy lateral limbs 75% 73.4%
multiple trunks 10% 10%
Decay (branch)
? none 88%
Trunk defects (excluding decay)
dense crown 19% 16%
crook/sweep 17% 8%
lean 12% 13%
multiple trunks 14% 12%
Decay (trunk)
? some 50%
Root defects (excluding decay)
lean 28% 20%
uneven/one sided
? 15%
Decay (root)
some 25% some 26%
Branch point of failure at attachment 26% 29%

Pinus radiata
Pinus radiata
photo: K. Jones
Monterey pine branch failure
Monterey pine branch failure
photo: L. Costello

Source URL: https://ucanr.edu/site/western-tree-failure-database/california-tree-failure-report-program/pinus-radiata-0