Tree Description:
A slow-growing, medium-sized tree to 40 feet tall and a trunk to 12" or more in diameter, forming a rounded, bushy crown with orange-colored branchlets.
Range/Site Description:
Limited to limestone soils in Culberson and Hudspeth counties of the Trans-Pecos and found as scattered trees or in small groves over dry slopes and canyons with elevations above 6,000 feet.
Leaf:
Needles in bundles of 2 (rarely 1 or 3), dark green, 1" to 2" long, stiff, stout, pointed, and curved, remaining on the tree for 5 to 8 years.
Flower:
Male and female conelets are borne separately, but on the same tree. Male "flowers" are compact, brown clusters at the end of the branchlets; the female conelets are stalked, red, also at the ends of the branches.
Fruit:
A rounded cone, 1" to 2" across, producing large seeds or "nuts," 0.5" to 0.75" long, at the base of the cone scales. The seeds have thin shells and are rich in food value.
Bark:
Reddish-brown to black, with thick, broad plates and deep fissures developing on older trunks.
Wood:
The wood is light, soft, close-grained, pale brown, and used for fuel and sometimes as fencing; the seeds are a high-value food source that is gathered and sold widely as "pine nuts."
Similar Species:
Mexican pinyon pine (Pinus cembroides) occurs in the southern mountains of the Trans-Pecos and has mostly 3 needles per cluster.
Interesting Facts:
The seed shells of this species are easy to crack, making the "nuts" an important diet staple for wildlife and indigenous peoples alike.
