Colorado Pinyon
Pinus edulis
Pine family (Pinaceae)

Pinyon Pine (Pinus edulis, Utah Juniper ( Sabina osteosperma), and (One-seed Juniper (Sabina monosperma), dominate hundreds of thousands of acres of Colorado, central and western New Mexico, northeastern Arizona, and central and eastern Utah. Grasses, Sagebrush, Serviceberry, Mountain Mahogany, Blackbrush, and numerous wildflowers find homes in these vast forests. The seeds of Pinyon Pine and the junipers nourish wildlife, and, beginning 2,000 years ago, the Anasazi created a civilization with these trees: they built homes and they fed, clothed, and warmed themselves with Pinyon Pine and Utah Juniper. And they must have found the redolence of a Juniper and Pinyon Pine fire to be one of the grand pleasures of life. Many of us still do today.

Description

Tree to 45' tall with a rounded crown, bark of old trunks is dark brown to black, divided into ridges and small scales. Leaves from less than 1 to 2" long in clusters of 2 or occasionally 3, sometimes even 1, rigid, incurved, sharp-pointed, margins entire. Staminate cones are dark-red when fresh. Pistillate cones are short ovoid, 1-2" long and almost as wide. Seeds large, brown, ovate, wingless, edible.

Field Marks

Tree with dark bark, dark green leaves in bundles of two, rounded crown, often numerous seed cones on upper half of tree.

© Al Schneider