Pinus aristata
A very long-lived pine native to high-elevation Rocky Mountain habitats in the United States, with five-needle fascicles featuring white resin flecks and cones that release wind-dispersed seeds assisted by Clark's Nutcrackers.
Common Names
Bristlecone Pine, Colorado Bristlecone Pine, Rocky Mountain Bristlecone Pine, Hickory Pine, Foxtail Pine
Summary
Rocky Mountain bristlecone pine is an evergreen conifer native to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and northern New Mexico, with an isolated population in the San Francisco Peaks, Arizona, occupying high elevations around 2,100–4,000 m in cold, dry subalpine habitats. It is a slow-growing, medium-sized tree typically 15–20 m tall with a trunk up to 1 m in diameter, a crown rounded to flattened, and contorted branches; blue-green needles occur in bundles of five and persist 10–17 years, with resin flecks on the needles. Cones have bristle-like spines on the scales; seed cones are 6–11 cm long, seeds 5–6 mm with wings 10–13 mm, and seed cones mature after about two years, with seeds wind-dispersed and sometimes cached by Clark's nutcrackers.
In cultivation, it prefers full sun and well-drained rocky soils and is drought-tolerant once established; avoid overwatering. It is hardy to USDA zones 3–7; propagation is by seed, with stratification 4–8 weeks and germination 2–6 weeks. It is commonly used as a specimen plant in rock gardens, drought-conscious landscapes, or containers, and cultivars include Blue Bear, Formal Form, Joe's Bess, and Sherwood Compact.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
49-66 ft
Spread
10-15 ft
Hardiness Zones
Zones 3-7
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally full sun
Soil Type
Well-drained soil with sandy, rocky, or loamy texture; pH 5.0–7.7
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil; light, sandy or gravelly loam; rocky or skeletal soils with little organic matter; avoid poor drainage or waterlogged sites
Soil pH
5.5-7.0, mildly acidic to neutral soils
Bloom Color
Blueish to red
Bloom Time
Spring to Summer
Foliage Color
Blue-green
Fall Foliage Color
No fall color
Leaf Lifecycle
Evergreen needle
Growth Rate
Slow-growing
Seasons of Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Cuttings, Grafting onto rootstock
Attracts Wildlife
Birds: Clark's nutcracker eats the seeds.
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- Engelm.
- Publication
- Amer. J. Sci. Arts II, 34: 331. (1862)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Pinophyta
- Class
- Pinopsida
- Subclass
- Pinidae
- Order
- Pinales
- Family
- Pinaceae
- Genus
- Pinus
Synonyms
Pinus balfouriana var. aristata Pinus balfouriana subsp. aristata