PlantFiles: Rocky Mountain Pinyon Pine, Two-Needle Pinon Pine, Nut Pine
Pinus edulis

This slow growing, compact pine tree has been known to reach 35 ft. high with a trunk 30" in diameter. The gray to reddish brown bark is furrowed with scaley ridges. The thick egg-shaped cones are light brown to a yellowish brown and has blunt scales up to 2" long. The dark green needles are curved slightly and come bunched two together, they are about 2" long. You will find this tree growing in nature in the range of 4000-7000 ft. elevation on lower mountain slopes, plateaus and mesas. The crown is rounded and it often has a crooked trunk. The edible, oily and large seeds are about 1/2" long and known as 'pinones', 'pine nuts', 'Indian nuts', 'Christmas nuts' & 'pinyon nuts', harvested for commercial purposes raw and cooked for use in candies. The wild animals also eat them, mostly pinyon jays, wild turkeys and mammals. This pine is able to stand up to drought the best of all the other pines endemic to Arizona. The wood is used alot for feul and fence posts. Amongst other places in Arizona and other states that this tree is native to, you will be able to find them near the Sunset Crater National Monument. This pinon pine is identifyable by having a bundle of two needles, while the Pinus discolor (Mexican Pinon) has 3 needles in a bundle and the Pinus monophylla (Singleleaf Pinon) has only singular needles (none bundled). Endemic to AZ, CA, CO, NM, NV, OK, TX, UT, WY in the USA.

Have been growing a pinus edulis in desert bed here in Western Arkansas for a few years now, has handled the humidity and constant winter rain perfectly, grows slowly but beautiful at any age.

The pinon pine ( pronounced pinyon pine) is the state tree of New Mexico. When burned in the fireplace, the smoke has a sweet perfumy fragrance that is unforgetable. It is a small slow-growing tree (15 to 30 ft, at maturity). Currently pinon trees in the Southwest are very much endangered by the current harsh drought there. The drought makes them suceptible to borers and huge numbers have died in the past two or three years. It is important for humans to protect pinons as much as possible while this drought is threatening them.

These trees which grow in arid foothills and plains from Texas to Wyoming produce edible Pine Nuts (or pinon nuts as we called them) similar to the European pine nuts widely available now.