At Zhanjiang Forestry's Improved Variety Breeding Farm, a sign reads: "National Caribbean Pine Improved Base—No Admittance Without Permission." Beyond the gate, pine cones litter the ground, needles form a soft carpet, and the air carries the scent of resin. Straight and orderly, the trees quietly tell a 60-year story of breeding.
National Improved Variety Base for Caribbean Pine.
Caribbean pine (Pinus caribaea) is a fast-growing tropical timber tree from Central America. Introduced to China in the 1960s, Zhanjiang in South China's Guangdong Province became a major planting site. No one knew if it would adapt to local soil, climate, and pests—thus began a "breeding marathon."
Mature Caribbean pine cones open to release seeds, spread by wind or animals.
Researchers created genetic records for superior trees and established a living gene bank with hundreds of clones. Through scientific hybridization, grafting, management, seed collection, and continuous selection, the "Zhanjiang Provenance" emerged. Fast-growing and drought- and poor-soil tolerant, it now serves as a pioneer species for ecological restoration.
To improve breeding, each pine tree has a unique "ID card".
Caribbean pine now provides both economic and ecological value. Its strong wood—called "green steel"—is used for packaging and furniture, while resin is processed into rosin and turpentine. Ecologically, it helps protect soil and water in coastal and hilly areas.
Staff members collect scions in the forest.
The base covers 215 mu (about 14 hectares) of seed orchards, producing over 20 kg of improved seeds annually to support 3,000 mu (about 200 hectares) of afforestation. Total yearly income from timber and resin exceeds 4.5 million yuan.
Two staff members perform grafting in the nursery.
The successful domestication of Caribbean pine demonstrates how forestry has evolved from single-purpose use to multiple benefits, offering a solid "Zhanjiang Solution" for turning green mountains into valuable assets.
Author | Deng Anqi
Photo | Deng Anqi
