PlantFiles: Bristlecone Pine, Foxtail Pine, Hickory Pine
Pinus aristata

This Pine tree has been known to grow as high as 40 ft. and have a 2.5 ft wide trunk. The bark on the young trees is smooth and off-whitish, wilst on the older trees the bark is fissured, scaly and reddish brown. The purplish-brown cones hang from the branch instead of standing up on the branch. The scales on the cones are equipped with a quarter inch, incurved and stiff prickle on the tips. The dark green and curved needles are about 1.5" long, bunched in a bundle of five and form a crowded bush-like bundle on the ends of the branches. They can stay on the tree for about 30 years before they are dropped. This pine occures in nature in Spruce-fir forests up to the timberline at about 9500-12,000 ft. elevation but is found only on the San Fransisco Peaks in Arizona, but is also native to Colorado and New Mexico. At the timberline it looks like a twisted, bushy shrub. Though sometimes not reported as being in California, some of these trees in CA are over 4,000 years old. Some of the ones on the San Fransisco peaks in Arizona were dated by the tree ring method as being over 1400 years old.

Sometimes called Hickory Pine or Foxtail Pine. This pine rarely grows over 20 feet. This tree is a dwarf, growing very slowly; 1 to 2 inches per year. A 16 year old plant being only 4 feet tall. Its dark bluish green needles, 5 in a bundle, are usually less than 1 ½ inches long. It is picturesque, due to its dwarfed, rather twisted growth habit. It grows largest in Arizona, occasionally reaching 50 feet. Some specimens in Arizona have been estimated to be 4,000 years old. Does well in all climates and most soils, and all elevations from sea level to 12,000 feet. Holds needles for 20 years. Likes ordinary to poor soil, good drainage. A unique specimen in a garden or island planting. EXCELLENT BONSAI SUBJECT. Zone: 4-7. Height: 20 Feet.

(from Musser Forests catalog)