Pinus pinaster is commonly known as maritime or cluster pine; as well as pinheiro bravo in the Portuguese language; as pi marítim, or pi pinastre in Catalan; and pino marítimo, pino resinero or pino rodeno in Spanish. The species name was coined by Pliny in the 1st century, referring to a pine found growing in the wild along the Italian coast above Rome (Latin for "wild pine"), as compared to the cultivated Pinus pinea.
Ethnobotany. This conifer is widely planted for timber in its native area, being one of the most important trees in forestry in France, Spain and Portugal. Landes forest in southwest France is the largest man-made maritime pine forest in Europe. Pinus pinaster resin is also a useful source of turpentine and rosin.
In addition to industrial uses, maritime pine is also a popular ornamental tree, often planted in parks and gardens in areas with warm temperate climates. It has become naturalized in parts of southern England, Argentina, South Africa and Australia.
It is also used as a source of flavonoids, catechins, proanthocyanidins, and phenolic acids. A dietary supplement derived from extracts from Pinus pinaster bark called Pycnogenol is marketed with claims it can treat many conditions