Blue Needled Pinyon Pine, Pinus cembroides monophylla, Tree Seeds

Hardy, Easy to Grow, Edible Seeds, Bonsai, Christmas Tree, Evergreen, Long Lived, Timber, Fragrant, Wildlife Food/Shelter, Screen/Windbreak, Cold, Heat, Drought and Wind Tolerant

Pinyon Pine is a small, drought hardy, slow growing, evergreen conifer. Native to the Southwestern United States, the Pinyon Pine grows in woodlands, plateaus, mesas, and lower mountain slopes at elevations of 4,000 to 9,000 feet. It is adapted to a wide range of soils, moisture conditions and temperature. Pinyon Pines are a most lovely, soft, dark green. Throughout their adult life Pinyon Pines have a rounded symmetrical shape. After many decades most Pinyon Pines lose their lower branches, growing 30 to 45 feet tall with a handsome 30 foot crown spread. Pinyon Pines live long lives, perhaps 800 years.

Pinyon Pine is traditionally sold as Christmas trees in the Southwest because of its aromatic fragrance. The branches are often twisted into aromatic wreaths and other ornaments. Its heavy, yellow wood is valuable for firewood and fence posts. Many people plant Pinyon Pine around the perimeter of their land in single or multi-rows to act as a windbreak.

Pinyon Pine seeds are roasted, salted, and eaten as a snack. They contain riboflavin, niacin, and protein. Because of their delicate flavor, the seeds are in high demand. The seed crop of Pinyon Pine is valuable and is used in making candies, cakes, and cookies. The seeds were a staple food in American Indian diets and were eaten raw, roasted, or ground into flour. Seed crops are erratic, depending on moisture and Indian migrations were determined by location of seed crops. Needles were steeped for tea. The inner bark served as starvation food for American Indians. Today incense is made from crushed cones. Indians still use the pitch as a caulking compound for water tight baskets and as glue for turquoise jewelry. The annual harvest of Pinyon nuts exceeds 1million pounds. This crop is second in commercial value only to pecans among the uncultivated nuts of the United States. The seeds are also an important wildlife food for several songbirds, quails, squirrels, chipmunks, black bears, and mule deer.

Pinyon Pine seeds take about twenty-six months to mature: cone buds are formed in the first summer; a small cone forms, opens, is pollinated, and closes in the second summer; this cone reopens in the third summer allowing the pollen inside to fertilize the eggs. Growth is then rapid and by the end of the third summer the green, sappy, two inch seed cone matures, dries to light brown, and opens. Light colored seed husks are almost always empty; good seed husks are usually dark brown. Before the twenty-six month growing cycle begins again, it is common for several years to pass. Thus seed production is on about a four to six year cycle, a bit more frequent than the often stated seven year cycle.

For live plants, we can't send them to Alaska and Hawaii. If the order has already been placed, we will cancel it.

Happy Gardening!