Pinyon Pine is a member of the Pine
Family.
The
drought resistant and slow growing tree reaches 35 feet in height
and has gray to reddish brown furrowed bark and a trunk to 30 inches in
diameter. Needles are dark green
and slightly curved usually growing in pairs of two to 2
inches in length.
The tree typically grows on
mesas, plateaus and lower mountain slopes at
elevations between 4000 - 7000 feet. Cones are light
brown to yellowish brown and egg-shaped with thick, blunt scales to 2
inches in length.
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The Pinyon Pine has a symbiotic
relationship with the pinyon jay. The jay collects pinyon nuts and
buries them for the winter. The jay can remember up to 1,000
caches, though any nuts that are not recovered may grow into new
trees. |
Seeds from the cones are oily and edible and grow to
0.5 inches in length. These pinyon nuts are astonishingly rich,
containing over 3,000 calories per pound and 9 of the essential amino
acids necessary for people. The nuts, roasted or raw, were a staple of
prehistoric Indians and are an important food source for wild birds
and mammals.
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