One-leaved Pine, Singleleaf pine
Pinus monophylla

Family: Pinaceae

What it is like

An evergreen pine tree. It grows 15 m high and is a broad cone shape. The bark is grey and has narrow ridges. The leaves are needle like and rigid and curved. They are 5 cm long and taper to a sharp point. They occur singly and are grey-green. They are on stout orange shoots. The flowers occur in separate clusters on young shoots. Male flowers are yellow and female flowers are red. The fruit is a cone 5.5 cm long. It is green but ripens to grey-brown.

There are over 100 species of Pinus.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows naturally on dry rocky mountain slopes in the United States. It suits hardiness zones 6-9. It grows between 600-2,100 m above sea level. It can grow in deserts.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia, Central America, Mexico, North America, USA

How it is used for food

The seeds are eaten raw or roasted or ground into flour and used in cakes.

They are high in starch and low in protein.

Edible parts

Seeds, nuts

How it is grown

It is slow growing and long lived. It can grow over 400 years. Cones take 2 years to mature.

Its other names

Local names

Pinon monoaguja, Colarado pinyon, Nut pine, Singleleaf pinyon pine, Stone pine

Synonyms

Cariopitys monophylla (Torr. & Frem.) Rydb.; Pinus californiarum D. K. Bailey; Pinus cembroides var. monophylla Torr.; Pinus fremontiana Endl.;