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Home > Pine > Pinyon Pine

Pinyon Pine

Pinyon or Piñon is a species of small to medium-sized pine trees growing at an altitude of 1,400-3,000 m. As a drought-resistant tree, the Pinyon intermixes with junipers and dominates the forests of the semi-desert regions in the southwestern US.

Pinyon Pine

Pinyon Pine

Pinyon Pine Tree

Pinyon Pine Tree

Scientific Classification

KingdomPlantae
DivisionPinophyta
ClassPinopsida
OrderPinales
FamilyPinaceae
GenusPinus
SubgenusDucampopinus
Scientific NamePinus edulis
Colorado Pinyon Pine

Colorado Pinyon Pine

New Mexico State Tree

New Mexico State Tree

Pinyon Pine Pictures

Pinyon Pine Pictures

Quick Information

Other NamesColorado pinyon, two-leaf pinyon, two-needle pinyon, nut pine
Size33-66 ft (10-20 m) tall; trunk diameter of 31 in (80 cm)
IdentificationLeaves (Needles): Green, 1.2-2.2 inches long, occur in pairs, moderately stiff, stomata on both the outer and inner surfaces

Cones: Egg-shaped, 1.5-2 inches long, reddish-brown, scales are few and not covered with prickles; thin-shelled, edible, large and wingless seeds

Bark: Reddish brown, thin, scaly, rough

Tree TypeEvergreen
Distribution/RangeSouthern Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, northern Arizona, Utah, California, Oklahoma, the Guadalupe Mountains in Texas
Hardiness Zones4-8
Growth RateSlow; approximately 4 inches per year
LifespanLong-lived; up to 1000 years
Growing ConditionsWinter Conditions: Cold, mean January temperatures vary between -10° to 6° C (14° to 43° F)

Summer Conditions: Hot, mean July temperatures range from 20°-27° C (68°-81° F)

Rain: From 250-560 mm per year

Sunlight: Full sun, shade intolerant

Soil Requirements: Rocky, low in fertility, well-drained soils with sandstone, granite, limestone, basalt, shale, and mixed alluvium

Diseases and PestsRed-ring rot, root rots, brown cubical rot; stem diseases such as pinyon dwarf mistletoe and pinyon blister rust; needle rusts, needle casts, and other foliage diseases; insects including mountain pine beetle, pinyon-pitch nodule moth, tiger moth, adelgid, pinyon sawfly, pinyon ips, pinyon cone beetle, etc.
Flowering/FruitingWinter buds with strobili are fully formed by October in the first year; staminate cones mature while the ovulate cones become capable of receiving pollens by mid-June the following year, pollination ends in June; fertilization takes place in July of the third year
Breeding SystemMonoecious
Seed ProductionProduced when it is 75-100 years old
Seedling DevelopmentGermination of seeds occurs in the spring and summer after dispersal; seedlings grow slowly with the primary needles developing in the first year
Wildlife ValueProvides habitat for elk, white-tailed deer, mule deer, desert cottontail, and mountain cottontail; turkeys feed on pinyon nuts while deer browse the tree
Varieties/CultivarsNone; natural hybridization occurs between single leaf pinyon and pinyon in places where their ranges coincide
UsesOccasionally used as ornamental and Christmas trees; also used for fuelwood, production of railroad ties and mine timbers
IUCN Conservation StatusLeast Concern
Piñon Pine

Piñon Pine

Pinus Edulis

Pinus Edulis

Pinyon Seeds

Pinyon Seeds

Interesting Facts

  • In 1848, the Colorado Pinyons were first described by the German-American botanist George Engelmann.
  • The US state of New Mexico has Piñon pine as its official state tree.
  • The pinyon pine is both culturally and economically important for the Native American tribes, who at many places own the rights of harvesting the pine seeds.
  • The energy-rich pinyon pine seeds containing vitamin E, zinc, calcium, magnesium, iron, and oleic acid have been eaten by the native people for centuries.
Pinyon Pine Cone

Pinyon Pine Cone

Pinyon Pine Needles

Pinyon Pine Needles

Pinyon Pine Nuts

Pinyon Pine Nuts

References:

  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinus_edulis
  2. https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/plantguide/pdf/pg_pied.pdf
  3. https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/tree/pinedu/all.html
  4. https://www.nps.gov/colm/learn/nature/pinyon-pine-tree.htm
  5. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/42360/2975133

Published on November 2nd 2016 by admin under Pine.
Article was last reviewed on 26th June 2023.

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