Scientific Name
Pinus edulis
Pinyon (also Piñon) pine is a relatively small tree, reaching about 20 feet in height and often appearing shrubby, though it can sometimes grow to 60 feet. It has stiff, sharp-pointed needles about 1 to 2 inches long, borne in pairs that tend to curve inward toward the branches. Often the inner surfaces of the two needles are pressed together, making them appear as a single needle. Pinyon pine has a wide native distribution, growing up to about 7,800 feet in elevation and centered on the Four Corners region. It is the state tree of New Mexico and is common in southern and western Colorado, with a few isolated natural occurrences along the Front Range. It typically grows alongside several western juniper species and is well adapted to dry climates. The tree grows slowly and can live for as long as a millennium.
Pinyon pine seed cones are relatively short and broad, with few scales. When mature, the cone scales open to release the seeds — pine nuts, or piñones in Spanish — which are eagerly sought by both wildlife and humans. Heavy nut crops are produced every few years. Although the seeds of all pine trees are edible and have a similar taste, those of the pinyon are the largest and sweetest among North American pines and contain the greatest ratio of protein (about 31 percent). They were an important food source for Native American people. Two other pine species whose seeds are commonly used as food are the Korean pine and the Italian stone pine.
Because pinyon pine is usually small, it is not an important timber tree. However, the wood is highly aromatic, a quality that is especially noticeable when it is burned as firewood.