The Pine – National Tree of Honduras
The Pino was chosen by the government of then President Miguel Paz Barahona , who through agreement No. 429 issued on May 14, 1928 resolved to declare the Pine as the National Tree of Honduras . The choice of him as representative of the national flora is based on the fact that the Pine is the tree that naturally predominates in the Honduran forests.
On the same date, the regulations were approved to support their care and encourage reforestation by schools, colleges and the population in general. Also to avoid the damage caused by forest fires and the hand of man through the felling of the forest.
Over the years, the Pinus Oocarpa species or commonly called Ocote has been given preference for being the most abundant pine species in the national territory. The Pinus Oocarpa species is also known as Pino de Ocote or Pinabete and extends from Mexico to Northeast Nicaragua, being one of the most abundant species in the forests of Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras.
May 30 Pino celebration day
At first it was celebrated on May 15, but by order of the Ministry of Education it was moved to the 30th of the same month (May), with the purpose of putting schoolchildren in contact with nature, so that they reflect on the multiple goods that she provides us, giving us directly and indirectly, what we need for a better existence. This is how it is provided in the “School Civic Calendar, Ministry of Public Education of Honduras, March 1980″.
Every May 30th the day of the Honduran National Tree is celebrated. Celebration that becomes a civic party on the part of schools, colleges, environmental organizations and the general population.
This celebration is accompanied by awareness campaigns by the government and private companies for the preservation of the pine forest as the main source of water, habitat of the abundant and diverse fauna that exist in Honduras.
Children, youth and adults carry out massive reforestation campaigns supported by municipal governments, which build nurseries for cultivation and subsequent planting in various parts of the Honduran territory.
Pine Species in Honduras
In Honduras there are 7 fully identified pine species
- Pinus Ayacahuite – var. Ayacahuite
- Pinus Caribaea – var. hondurensis
- Pinus Hartwegii
- Pinus maximinoi
- Pinus Oocarpa – var. Oocarpa and var. trifoliate
- Pinus Pseudostrobus – var. pseudostrobus
- Pinus Tecunumanii
See Lyrics and Music of the Hymn to Pino
Learn more about Pinus Oocarpa
The wood of the Pinus Oocarpa , National Tree of Honduras is slightly heavy (0.42-0.60g/cm3) with a fine texture. It has a medium to high gloss. It has a slight difference between the sapwood, which is creamy yellow, while the heartwood is pale brown. The marbling is pronounced because the growth rings are visible.
This beautiful wood has a special characteristic odor, due to the resin it has, but no taste. This wood is very easy to dry, saw and work, another great feature is that it can be preserved by any method. That is why its wood in Honduras is widely used. The heartwood is moderately resistant to white and brown rot, resists termite attack, and is very resistant when stored outdoors.
The wood of the pinus oocarpa is of great importance because it can be used for the construction of a large number of articles ranging from doors, posts, tables, chairs, moldings, packaging, toys, handicrafts, sports equipment, musical instruments and in homes as firewood. .
Medicinal products such as turpentine are made from the resin that its wood gives off. Calophony is also produced, which is a solid substance used as a raw material to manufacture other products, especially cosmetics.
General characteristics of the Pine
The pine is a tree with a thick trunk and gray or reddish-brown bark that can reach 15 to 25 meters in height. Very common in our forests due to its olive green or grass green leaves measuring 12 to 30 cm long. Adorned with shiny yellowish-brown or reddish-brown cones called acorns, which open when ripe to spread their seeds.
- The crown : It is irregular with fine and relatively sparse branches. Its lower horizontal branches and the upper ones more ascending.
- The Bark: is dark reddish to grayish in color with fissures, exfoliates in long, irregular, scaly bands.
- The leaves: It has needle-shaped leaves, in small groups of 5 and sometimes 3 or 4. They measure between 14-25 centimeters long, erect, thick and rough. Its edges are finely serrated.
- Flowers: The flowers of Pinus oocarpa are small, in terminal inflorescences at the top of the crown. The male ones are located in the lower branches.
- Fruits: These are strong and heavy cones in the shape of ovoid or globose. They measure between 5-10 centimeters long and are dark brown, sometimes greenish with woody scales in groups of 2 to 3 on the branch.
- Seeds: The seeds of Pinus oocarpa are very small and triangular, measuring between 4-7 mm in length. They are dark brown in color and have a brown membranous wing that is 10-12 mm long.
Decree declaring the Pine as the National Tree of Honduras
Agreement Number 429
Tegucigalpa, May 14, 1928. The President of the Republic,
CONSIDERING: That the Pine that appears symbolically in our Shield, is the example of the National Flora that has the most contact with Hondurans throughout the country due to its characteristic abundance, and for the multiple ways in which its products are used;
CONSIDERING: That the protection given to trees and particularly to the pine, constitutes a necessary measure for their conservation and beneficial to the civic culture of the inhabitants,
THEREFORE, YOU AGREE:
Article 1: Declare the Pine “NATIONAL TREE OF HONDURAS”
Article 2: Duly regulate the use to be made of it to avoid unnecessary destruction caused by felling and forest fires.
Article 3: Implement, through authorities of all kinds and educational centers, the habit of populating forests in general, doing the proper replanting of trees that, like the Pine, are used daily.
Get in touch.
MIGUEL PAZ BARAHONA.
The Secretary of State in the Office of Public Instruction.
Confusion by the variety of Pines
What species of Pine? Of all the National Symbols of Honduras, the Pine is the one that creates some confusion among Hondurans since since its creation the Pinus Oocarpa has been mentioned as the National Tree of Honduras.
However, many consider that this appointment is not official since in the decree of its creation it does not mention any particular species of the 7 that exist in the country, but instead names it in a general way, “Declaring the Pine the National Tree of the Republic from Honduras.»
For this reason, it can be said that the National Tree of Honduras is any Pine of the 7 existing species , however « Pinus Oocarpa » has been taken as the National Tree of Honduras for being one of the most abundant species in the territory and for hence the one that provides the most profits to Hondurans who commonly call it ocote or Pinabete.
