Pinus gerardiana Seeds | Chilgoza Pine
LATIN NAME: Pinus gerardiana
COMMON NAME: Chilgoza Pine
Plant Profile
Pinus gerardiana is the pine whose seed is sold as chilgoza, and it is one of the few pines grown for its nut rather than for its timber. The tree is medium-sized, fifteen to twenty metres, with a broad, irregular crown and bark that peels in papery flakes, leaving a patchwork of green, white and brown. The needles are in bundles of three, stiff and dark green.
The species grows in the dry inner valleys of the north-western Himalaya, in eastern Afghanistan, Pakistan and north-western India, between about 1,800 and 3,000 metres, on dry, rocky slopes with cold winters and a long dry spring. The cones are large, and they do not open widely even when ripe, which is why the seed has to be extracted by hand.
Science & Biotechnology
The seed is large, wingless and rich in oil, and it is the reason the tree is valued. Unlike most pines, the seed does not have a functional wing, so it is not dispersed by wind; it depends on birds and on rodents, and on people, who have moved the seed around for centuries. The cones are harvested before they open, and the seed is extracted by heating or by breaking the scales.
The tree is slow-growing and does not begin to produce cones until it is twenty or thirty years old. That, combined with heavy harvesting and with grazing that prevents regeneration, has led to a decline across its range. The species is also sensitive to fire, and the dry slopes where it grows burn readily.
Uses & Benefits
The seed is eaten roasted, and it is one of the most expensive nuts in South Asia, sold as chilgoza and used in sweets and in savoury dishes. The timber is used for construction and for fuel, and the resin is used as an adhesive and as a medicine.
In local medicine the seed is used as a tonic and the resin as a plaster for wounds, and the bark is used for roofing in some districts. The nut harvest is an important cash income for communities in the dry valleys, and the right to harvest is often held collectively and regulated by custom.
Growing from Seed
Chilgoza seed loses its power within a season, so sow it in the year it is gathered. Sow it in a deep pot at 20 to 25 degrees, and germination is in four to eight weeks. The seedling has a long taproot and resents disturbance, so plant it out while it is small.
The tree wants full sun, sharp drainage and a dry, cold climate, and it tolerates poor, rocky soil. It is hardy to about minus twenty. It is slow and does not transplant well, so choose the site carefully and protect the seedling from grazing animals for the first years. In a garden, grow it in a raised bed with grit, since it hates wet roots.
Our Take
A slow pine with a valuable seed, and a species under pressure from the very trade that pays for its conservation.
Related Reading
If Chilgoza Pine appeals to you, these related plants are worth a look: