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Pinus sabiniana
Pinus sabiniana Douglas ex Douglas
California Foothill Pine, Digger Pine
Pinaceae (Pine Family)
Synonym(s):
USDA Symbol: PISA2
USDA Native Status: L48 (N)
Digger pine is an open, airy conifer with a divided trunk and a sparsely leaved crown. It grows to 45 ft. in 15 years and can attain 75 ft. in 200 yrs. The ridged and scaly bark is dark brown, often tinged purple. The foliage is gray-green and lacy. Tree with crooked, forking trunk and branches; open, very thin, irregular, broad, or rounded crown; and very large, heavy cones.
The soft, lightweight wood of this common and widespread pine is not durable; the crooked, forking trunks also make the wood impractical to use except as fuel. The former common name refers to the "Digger" Indians (a pioneer term grouping all California Indian tribes together, based on their practice of digging for foods such as bulbs and roots).
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Tree
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Leaf Arrangement: Fascicled
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Shape: Linear
Breeding System: Flowers Unisexual , Monoecious
Fruit Type: Cone
Size Notes: Up to about 75 feet tall.
Leaf: Green
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: YellowBloom Time: Mar , Apr
Distribution
USA: CA , ORNative Distribution: Hills bordering Central Valley & inner Coast Ranges, CA
Native Habitat: Dry slopes & ridges below 4500 ft.
Growing Conditions
Water Use: LowLight Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium
Soil Description: Dry soils.
Conditions Comments: Digger pine is very drought tolerant. Its open structure gives light shade and if the bottom branches are pruned off, it is gardenable underneath.
Propagation
Description: Propagate by seed.Commercially Avail: yes
Find Seed or Plants
View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.
From the National Organizations Directory
According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA
Web Reference
Webref 3 - Flora of North America (2014) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.Additional resources
USDA: Find Pinus sabiniana in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Pinus sabiniana in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Pinus sabiniana
Metadata
Record Modified: 2022-09-23Research By: TWC Staff