Nevada State Tree
Bristlecone pine Pinaceae Pinus aristata
Leaf: Acicular, short (1 to 1 1/2 inches long), curved, fascicles of 5, dark
green but usually covered with white dots of dried resin. Remain on tree for
10-17 years, giving a bushy appearance that resembles a fox's tail.
Flower: Monoecious; male cones small, dark orange and often clustered near
the ends of branches; female cones occur singly or in pairs near the ends of
branches.
Fruit: Moderate sized woody cone (about 3 inches long) with a short stalk;
imbricate scales are thickened and tipped with a long bristle, giving rise to
its common name. Seeds are winged.
Twig: Orange-brown when young but darkening with age.
Bark: Young bark is thin, smooth, and gray-white later becoming furrowed and
reddish-brown. Old trees on harsh, windy sites may have only a few strands of
bark remaining in crevices where it is protected from sandblasting winds.
Form: Typically small and contorted by the wind and harsh growing conditions,
grows very slowly.
Copyright 2003, Virginia Tech Forestry Department, all rights reserved.
Photos courtesy: Michael Aust, John Baitey, Ctaude L. Brown, Bruce Bongarten,
Susan D. Day, Edward C. Jensen, Richard E. Kreh, Larry H. McCormick, Alex X.
Niemiera, John A. Peterson, Oana Popescu, John R. Seiter, David W. Smith, Kim
C. Steiner, James E. Ward, Rodney E. Will, Shepard M. Zedaker.
Text written by: John R. Seiter, Edward C. Jensen, Or John A. Peterson
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