Pinus aristata seed
LATIN NAME: Pinus aristata
COMMON NAME: Rocky Mountain Bristlecone Pine, Colorado Bristlecone Pine
The bristlecone pine is one of the oldest living things on Earth, and it has stood on the high peaks of the Rocky Mountains for thousands of years. It grows as a rugged, slow-growing evergreen conifer, often contorted by the wind and weather, with short, dark green needles in bundles of five and rough, grey-brown bark. It is named for the small, prickly bristles on its cones, and it grows at the very edge of the tree line, from 2,100 to 4,000 metres, in cold, dry, windswept conditions where almost nothing else can survive. The oldest bristlecone pines have lived for more than four thousand years, making them some of the longest-lived trees in the world.
The bristlecone pine belongs to the pine family, Pinaceae, and it is native to the high Rocky Mountains of Colorado and northern New Mexico, with an isolated population in Arizona. It grows in the cold, dry subalpine conditions at the tree line, often on exposed, rocky ground.
Positive & Encouraging Seed Germination Guide
Growing a bristlecone pine from seed is a rare and deeply rewarding project. The seeds sit inside the small, woody cones, which open to release them in warmth and dryness, and they germinate best in cool, well-drained conditions. Sow them in pots of gritty, free-draining compost, cover them lightly, and keep them cool, bright and lightly moist. Germination can be slow, so be patient. Grow the young trees on in pots, giving them full sun, excellent drainage and protection from excessive wet, then plant them out in a sunny, well-drained, sheltered spot. A seed-raised bristlecone pine is a tree for a lifetime and beyond, with its ancient, sculptural beauty.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
The bristlecone pine has an extraordinary and distinguished record in scientific research. Because the oldest trees have lived for more than four thousand years, the species has been central to dendrochronology, the study of tree rings, and researchers have used its rings to build some of the longest and most important climate records in the world, reaching back thousands of years. The tree has also been studied in ecology, and researchers have examined how it survives for so long in such harsh, cold, dry conditions, and why it is so remarkably resistant to decay, disease and stress. As one of the longest-lived organisms on Earth, the bristlecone pine has also been studied in research on longevity and on the biology of extreme environments. For a tree of such age and such importance to science, the bristlecone pine has an exceptionally rich record of research.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
Ecologically, the bristlecone pine is a survivor of the high peaks. Its cones and seeds feed birds and small mammals, and it grows at the very edge of the tree line, providing one of the last footholds for life in the high, cold mountains.
Its economic value lies mainly in science and conservation. It is one of the most important trees in the world for dendrochronology, the study of climate history through tree rings, and it is protected and studied in the national parks and forests where it grows, while it is also grown by enthusiasts for its ancient, sculptural beauty. For a grower, the bristlecone pine is a rare and precious tree, and for a gardener it brings a living link to the deep past, a tree that may outlive us all.
Name: Bristlecone Pine Tree Seeds
Scientific Name: Pinus aristata
leaf color: Evergreen Needle
Hardiness zone: 4 through 7
plant height: 40-60 feet
light requirements: full sun to part shade
soil & water preferences: grows well in loamy, well-drained soils.
Growing Instructions:
- Scarification: Soak in water for 24 hours
- stratification: None required
- germination: sow seed 1/8″ deep, pack/tamp the soil, keep moist
The bark is gray-brown, thin, scaly at the base of the trunk.
Needles from dark green to bluish-green, needles 2.5-4 cm long, collected in bundles of five pieces.
Cones ovoid-cylindrical. Closed 5-10 cm long and 3-4 cm in diameter, lilac. Mature cones become after 16 months, they are yellowish-sandy color.
The seeds are 5 mm long, with a 10-20 mm wing.
This plant rarely lives up to 1500 years, however, the age of some plants can approach 2500 years. Pine spiny intermountain (another species of the same sub-section) can live up to 5000 years.