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The growth of Pinus nigra tree stands is known to be limited by spring-summer precipitation (P). We explored the intra-annual growth dynamics (early-wood EW and late-wood LW of tree-rings) and their responses to climate (in monthly, seasonal and annual scale) in Pinus nigra subsp. laricio at the intra-stand level in Calabria, at the pines' mesic to xeric distribution range. We used a variety of age detrending methods to assess how the adaptive potential to climate change of each tree varies within the even-aged forest stand. In years of wet climate, when precipitation (P) could infiltrate deeper below ground, higher growth rates occurred in 83% of trees, best explained by P accumulated over several previous years. The variability of EW increment was best explained by 3–5 previous year P (including the growth year) in 61% of trees, while LW increment was best explained by 1–3 year P in 78% of trees. This would …