Radiata pine: a perfect plantation timber.

Radiata pine is a softwood of the Family Pinaceae, a native Californian with a very limited growing area in the United States but a far-reaching growing area around the world. This pine, which is also grown commercially on plantations, is distinguished as the most often planted soft-wood in warm and temperate climates. Its growth area includes California, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Chile.

The secret to radiata pine's phenomenal success as a transplant is its amazing ability to grow quickly. Its average height is 100 feet, with 1 to 2 foot diameters, although the tree can grow to as high as 197 feet with 6 1/2 foot diameters. In its prime growing areas, radiata pine can reach its mature height in roughly 20 years. Most of what is sold on the commercial market is plantation grown.

The story of radiata pine begins in California where Pinus radiata is known as Monterey pine. Donald Culross Peattie, in his book "A Natural History of Western Trees," writes "Probably no other American tree, certainly no western conifer, has been so abundantly planted all over the world as Monterey pine." While radiata pine originated in the United States, it is one of the non-commercial species of pine native to the U.S. Almost all of its adopted homes rate it as one of their best market timbers, although Monterey or insignis pine is very popular strictly as an ornamental tree in England, the Mediterranean and in North Africa.

Monterey pine earned its name because the chief native growing is in two small areas of the Monterey peninsula and in Cambria, Calif.

Replacement for ponderosa

Dennis Wood, president of the Radiata Source, a sales organization, and CEO of Radiata Components (NZ) Ltd., a manufacturer of radiata pine components in Dunedin, New Zealand, with U.S. offices in Bangor, Wis., said radiata pine has grown steadily as a replacement in the United States for ponderosa pine.

"Radiata pine competes with ponderosa pine very well. Three to four years ago, if you mentioned radiata pine here, you would probably have had to explain what it is. Today, people request it by name and actively seek it," he said. Wood gets all of his supplies from New Zealand plantations.

New Zealand major grower

Wood said that radiata pine, "made its way to New Zealand almost accidentally about 135 to 140 years ago, when someone took a seedling of it there, planted it and astounded the growers for its ability to grow so quickly. At some point during the depression, New Zealanders started extensive planting of various trees, among them ponderosa pine, redwood and larch. Radiata pine outperformed all the rest by head and shoulders."