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Native Plant Database

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Pinus albicaulis Engelm.

Whitebark pine

Pinaceae (Pine Family)

USDA Symbol: PIAL

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

Tree with short, twisted or crooked trunk and irregular, spreading crown; a shrub at timberline; foliage has sweetish taste and odor.

American Indians gathered the cones and ate the seeds of this species. A bird called Clarks nutcracker tears open the cones to eat the seeds; in northern Eurasia, another nutcracker uses a similar method to obtain the seeds of a closely related species. Whitebark Pine is considered the most primitive native pine because its cones do not open until they decay.

 

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Shape: Linear
Leaf: Green
Flower:
Fruit:

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Jul

Distribution

USA: CA , ID , MT , NV , OR , WA , WY
Canada: AB , BC
Native Distribution: Central British Columbia, east to SW. Alberta, south to W. Wyoming and west to central California. At 4500-7000 (1372-2134 m) in north; at 8000-12,000 (2438-3658 m) in south.
Native Habitat: Dry, rocky soils on exposed slopes and ridges in subalpine zone to timberline; sometimes forms pure stands and thickets.
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry , Moist
CaCO3 Tolerance: Low

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Pinus albicaulis in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Pinus albicaulis in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Pinus albicaulis

Metadata

Record Modified: 2007-01-01
Research By: TWC Staff

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