Plant Type

Tree, Conifer

 

Height Range

12-25'

 

Flower Color

n/a

 

Flower Season

n/a

 

Leaf Color

Dark Green

 

Bark Color

Brown, Grey

 

Fruit Color

Brown, Purple

 

Fruit Season

Winter, Fall

Sun

Full

 

Water

Low

 

Growth Rate

Slow

 

Soil Type

Sandy, Clay, Loam, Rocky, Unparticular

 

Soil Condition

Average, Rich, Poor, Well-drained, Dry

 

Soil pH

Acid, Neutral, Basic

 

Adverse Factors

n/a

Design Styles

Japanese, Mediterranean, Ranch

 

Accenting Features

Silhouette, Specimen

 

Seasonal Interest

Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

 

Location Uses

Entry, Shrub Border, Foundation, Patio, Raised Planter, Walls / Fences

 

Special Uses

Small Spaces

 

Attracts Wildlife

Birds

Bristlecone pine is a slow-growing evergreen tree with an irregular and picturesque form, growing to about 20 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide, maybe only growing 4 to 6 inches per year once established. Its stiff, dark green needles are flecked with white sap that look like little crystals. Pine cones are a dark purplish brown, about 3 to 4 inches long, with eah cone scaling having a thorn-like tip, hence the common name.

Grow in full sun in well-drained soil. Adaptive to a range of soils, as long as they are well-draining; found in dry, rocky soils. pH adaptive. Though native to higher elevations up to the tree line, it is actually quite heat tolerant and does well in the valley, as long as the soil is well-drained. Cold hardy to USDA Zone 4. A Utah native.