Pinyon pine is a gnarled evergreen with horizontal branches. It is symmetrical and bushy when young, develops a flat crown with age. Its tasty seeds are edible. Known as pinyon nuts, Indian nuts, pine nuts, and pinoñes, they can be eaten raw, roasted or used in candies. Pollen and Seed cones are both present on this variety. The egg-shaped pollen cones are yellow to red-brown. The egg-shaped seed cones mature 2 years after pollination, becoming more rounded in shape. The seeds are then dispersed. In the USA, this plant can typically be found in the southwest at elevations over 4500 feet above sea level on dry slopes, mesas, and plateaus. Its wood is commonly used for fence posts and firewood. Pinyon pine would not do well in the hot humid southeast except perhaps in the mountains. Use in a woodland or naturalized area and on slopes and banks. Insect, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This tree is susceptible to wind damage. More information on Pinus .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Available space
more than 60 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in. | Width: 12 ft. 0 in. - 36 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Oval
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Needled Evergreen
Leaf color
Blue; Green
Leaf type
Needles
Leaf arrangement
Other/more complex
Leaf shape
Linear
Leaf margin
Entire; Serrate
Leaf size
1-3 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
.7 to 1.5 in. needles in bundles of 2, sometimes 1 or 3. They are blue-green with pale bands of stoma, especially on the upper surface. Margin are entire or finely serrated.
Flower detail
No flowers
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Red/Burgundy
Fruit size
1-3 inches long
Fruit detail
No fruits. The elliptical pollen cones are typically 3–6 mm long and yellow to reddish brown. The seed cones start out pale yellow-green to red-purple and resemble at 1/4 inch pincusshion with scales that open to accept pollen. It matures the second year to 1 to 2 inch long green cone.
Bark color
Dark Brown; Light Brown
Bark detail
Red-brown bark has shallow and irregular furrows, rounded, scaly ridges.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Southwestern USA
Distribution
AZ , CA , CO , NM , OK , TX , UT , WY
Wildlife value
This plant supports Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed.