Native Plant Database

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Pinus strobiformis Engelm.

Limber pine, Southwestern white pine

Pinaceae (Pine Family)

Synonyms: Pinus flexilis var. reflexa

USDA Symbol: PIST3

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

Southwestern white pine grows to 80 ft. in height and can attain a trunk diameter of over 3 ft. Slender branches form a broad, rounded crown. Bark on young trees is smooth and whitish-gray; as the tree matures the bark becomes dark brown and deeply furrowed. Needles, from 2-5 in. long, are blue-green.

The large seeds are consumed by wildlife and were eaten by southwestern Indians. This species of the Mexican border region was formerly considered a southern variety of Limber Pine, which has a broader, more northern distribution, is smaller, and has smooth-edged needles with white lines on all surfaces and shorter cones with thick, rounded, blunt-pointed cone-scales.

 

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Size Class: 36-72 ft.
Leaf Shape: Linear
Fruit Type: Cone

Bloom Information

Bloom Time: Jun

Distribution

USA: AZ , CO , NM , TX
Native Distribution: Mts. of Trans-Pecos, TX to AZ & c. Mex.
Native Habitat: High elevation, Canyons, Hillsides, Slopes. Mountain canyons; 7000 to 10,000 ft.
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil Description: Rocky soils. Limestone-based, Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Clay Loam, Clay
Conditions Comments: Not Available
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Bibliography

Dale Groom's Texas Gardening Guide (2002) Groom, D.
Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife (1999) Damude, N. & K.C. Bender

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

Metadata

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

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