Pinus gerardiana seed

Pinus geradiana
Chilgoza Pine

This is a pine native to the northwestern Himalaya in eastern Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northwest India, growing at elevations between 1800–3350 m. It often occurs in association with Blue Pine (Pinus wallichiana) and Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara), seeds of which can be found in separate listings.

The trees are 10-20m tall with usually deep, wide and open crowns with long, erect branches. The bark is very flaky, peeling to reveal light greyish-green patches, similar to the closely related Lacebark Pine (Pinus bungeana). The branchlets are smooth and olive-green. The leaves are needle-like, borne in 3’s, 6–10 cm long, spreading stiffly, glossy green on the outer surface, with blue-green stomatal lines on the inner face; the sheaths falling in the first year. The cones are 10–18 cm long, 9–11 cm wide when open.

Chilgoza Pine is well known for its edible seeds, rich in carbohydrates and proteins. The seeds are locally called and marketed as “Chilgoza”, “Neja” (singular) or “Neje” (plural). Chilgoza is one of the most important cash crops of tribal people residing in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh, India.

Easy from seed, this will make an unusual garden tree or an ideal subject for Bonsai use. Never common, either in cultivation or in the wild. this is a chance to obtain this very hardy pine tree.