Pi�on pine (original) (raw)
Pi�on pine (or Pinyon pine), are a group of pines, which grow in the Southwestern U.S and Mexico; they yield edible pi�on nuts, which were a staple of the Native Americans. The fragrance of the wood, especially when burned, is an unmistakable token of the American West.
There are several species of Pi�on pine (Family Pinaceae, genus Pinus subsection Cembroides):
- Pinus cembroides – Mexican pi�on
- Pinus orizabensis – Orizaba pi�on
- Pinus johannis – Johann's pi�on, Border Pi�on (includes P. discolor)
- Pinus culminicola – Potos� pi�on
- Pinus remota – Texas or Papershell pi�on
- Pinus edulis – Colorado pi�on, Two-needle pi�on
- Pinus monophylla – Singleleaf pi�on
- Pinus quadrifolia – Parry pi�on (includes P. juarezensis)
Some of these species are known to hybridise, most notably P. quadrifolia and P. monophylla.
These additional Mexican species are also related:
- Pinus rzedowskii – Rzedowski's pine
- Pinus pinceana – Weeping pi�on
- Pinus maximartinezii – Big-cone pi�on
- Pinus nelsonii – Nelson's pi�on
as are also the bristlecone pines and Foxtail pine of the high mountains of the SW USA, and the lacebark pines of Asia.
The Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) takes its name from the tree, and pi�on nuts form an important part of its diet - but it is of course by no means the only animal to eat them. It is very important for regeneration of pi�on woods, as it stores large numbers of the seeds in the ground for later use, and excess seeds not used are in an ideal position to grow to form new trees.
External links
- Pine classification
- Arboretum de Villardebelle Images of the cones of all the pi�ons and allied pines
- Pinus monophylla U.S. Forest Service
- Pinus cembroides U.S. Forest Service
- Pinus quadrifolia U.S. Forest Service
- Pinus edulis U.S. Forest Service