Common Name: Colorado Bristlecone Pine

General Information

Pinus aristata is an evergreen tree with a rounded crown, becoming flattened (sheared) or irregular with age; it can grow up to 15 metres tall. The bole is strongly tapering and twisted, up to 100cm in diameter[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of materials.
The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

The wood, sawdust and resins from various species of pine can cause dermatitis in sensitive people[].

Botanical References

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Range

South-western N. America - northern Arizona, Colorado and northern New Mexico.

Habitat

Subalpine and alpine regions; at elevations from 2,500 - 3,400 metres[]. Trees grow right up to the tree line, where they are no more than gnarled shrubs[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	12.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Pinus aristata is a very cold-hardy plant, able to tolerate temperatures down to around -35°c when fully dormant[]. Trees grow best in areas with cold dry summers - the largest cultivated specimen is in dry sub-continental north-east Iceland[].
Pine species in general require a sunny position if they are to grow well and, whilst the different species have their own soil preferences, most will thrive in a light well-drained sandy or gravelly loam[, ]. Dislikes poorly drained moorland soils[]. Established plants tolerate drought[]. A wind tolerant tree, it often grows on very exposed ridges in the wild[].
A very slow growing[] (to 6 metres in 60 years at Kew) and short-lived tree in Britain, though it lives for 2000 years or more in its native range[, ]. This is the oldest known living plant with specimens over 4000 years old[].
This species is closely related to Pinis balfouriana[].
The lance-cylindrical seed cones are around 6 - 11cm in diameter, they take two growing seasons to mature, shedding their seeds whilst still attached to the tree and falling soon after[, ].
Plants are strongly outbreeding, self-fertilized seed usually grows poorly[]. They hybridize freely with other members of this genus[].
Leaf secretions inhibit the germination of seeds, thereby inhibiting the growth of other plants below the tree[].
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

The seeds of all Pinus species are more or less edible, and some are of good size and make very tasty and nutritious foods, often eaten in quantitiy. Others can be less desireable, either having a strongly resinous flavour, being bitter or, more commonly, rather too small and fiddly to make it very worthwhle even trying to eat them,
There has only been the one report we have found to date for this species, and it definitely comes into the very small and fiddly range!
Seed - raw or cooked[]. Up to 6mm long[]. The oil-rich seed has a slightly resinous flavour.

A vanillin flavouring is obtained as a by-product of other resins that are released from the pulpwood[].

Medicinal

Oil of turpentine, obtained from the oleo-resin of all pine trees, is antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, diuretic, rubefacient, stimulant and vermifuge[, ]. It is a valuable remedy used internally in the treatment of kidney and bladder complaints and is used both internally and as a rub and steam bath in the treatment of rheumatic affections[]. It is also very beneficial to the respiratory system and so is useful in treating diseases of the mucous membranes and respiratory complaints such as coughs, colds, influenza and TB[].
Applied externally in the form of liniment plasters, poultices, herbal steam baths and inhalers, it is a very beneficial treatment for a variety of skin complaints, wounds, sores, burns, boils etc[].

The tree could be the source of antioxidants that contribute to long life[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The needles contain a substance called terpene, this is released when rain washes over the needles and it has a negative effect on the germination of some plants, including wheat[].

Other Uses

A tan or green dye is obtained from the needles[].

Oleo-resins are present in the tissues of all species of pines, but these are often not present in sufficient quantity to make their extraction economically worthwhile[]. The resins are obtained by tapping the trunk, or by destructive distillation of the wood[, ]. In general, trees from warmer areas of distribution give the higher yields[].
Oil of Turpentine consists of an average of 20% of the oleo-resin[] and is separated by distillation[, ]. Turpentine has a wide range of uses including as a solvent for waxes etc, for thinning and dissolving varnish and paints, a shoe polish, medicinal etc[, ].
Rosin is also obtained by distillation of pine resin. This is used in paper glue and soap manufacturing, as a constituent of varnishes and paints, and for coating the bows of stringed musical instruments such as violins[, ].
Pitch can also be obtained from the resin and is used for waterproofing, as a wood preservative etc[].

The wood is light in weight, soft, not strong. It is used for mining timber[].
The wood is used for fuel[].

Propagation

It is best to sow the seed in individual pots in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe if this is possible otherwise in late winter. A short stratification of 6 weeks at 4°c can improve the germination of stored seed[]. Plant seedlings out into their permanent positions as soon as possible and protect them for their first winter or two[]. Plants have a very sparse root system and the sooner they are planted into their permanent positions the better they will grow[]. Trees should be planted into their permanent positions when they are quite small, between 30 and 90cm[]. We actually plant them out when they are about 5 - 10cm tall. So long as they are given a very good weed-excluding mulch they establish very well[]. Larger trees will check badly and hardly put on any growth for several years. This also badly affects root development and wind resistance[].
Cuttings. This method only works when taken from very young trees less than 10 years old. Use single leaf fascicles with the base of the short shoot. Disbudding the shoots some weeks before taking the cuttings can help. Cuttings are normally slow to grow away[].