Pinyon Pine
(Pinus edulis)




The Pinyon pine is a member of the Pinaceae family

Height:
This tree grows to a height of 15 to 40 ft tall, with a tapered, multi-stemmed trunk on low altitude specimens, and single tall stemmed trunks in higher elevations.

Leaf and Bark Type:
The leaves of this tree are needles in bundles of two, but rarely 1 or 3, colored dark green, stiff, curved and 1” to 2” long. Bark is reddish-brown to black and irregulary furrowed.

Where does it grow and in what conditions:
The Pinyon pine grows on dry mountain slopes, as well as mesas and plateaus and in open woodlands. It is a slow growing tree, but has great drought resistance when compared to other species of pines. It only requires about 12-18 inches of rain per year, but can grow best in high altitude, wetter sites.

Pollinators:
The primary method for pollen dispersal for the Pinyon pine is the wind. Four species of corvid birds are the primary agents of dispersal for the pine.

Fruit:
The Pinyon pine produced cones that contain large seeds that native americans and others sometimes refer to as nuts. These seeds have thing shells and serve as a great food.

Uses:
The easily cracked seeds serve as food for wildlife and are even eaten by people due to their high nutritonal value. The nuts are great food for turkeys, bears, and other wildlife. These trees are slow growing but are used for ornamental purposes.

 
GPS Location

Submitted by Larrimer
Pictures coming soon

Citations:

https://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/cs_pied.pdf
http://texastreeid.tamu.edu/content/treedetails/?id=71
http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/pinedu/all.html