Pinus aristata
Rocky Mountain bristlecone pine · also Colorado bristlecone pine, Bristlecone pine, Foxtail pine
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Pinus aristata, also known as Rocky Mountain bristlecone pine, is a long-lived tree native to the high altitudes of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. It thrives in cold, dry subalpine conditions, often at the tree line. These ancient trees are slow-growing and can live for thousands of years, making them a significant species for urban forestry in suitable harsh environments.
Where it grows
Trees in each city's inventory, with the share of that city's named trees this species accounts for.
- 2210.04%—2.8 in
- 1900.06%—9.0 in
- 1440.32%16 yr5.1 in
- 330.01%4.4 yr2.4 in
- 20.00%—20 in
- 20.00%—7.0 in
- 10.00%—2.8 in
- 10.00%—20 in
Traits
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Mature height
- 20–30 ft
- Canopy spread
- 15 ft
- Lifespan
- 5000 years
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Water needs
- Low
- Drought tolerance
- High
- Wildlife value
- Moderate
- Blooms
- Jun, Jul, Aug
Trunk diameters across every city: median 4.7 in, mean 6.4 in, 90th percentile 15 in. Measured at breast height, as published by each inventory.
Native range
Terrestrial ecoregions where this species is native. Trees in the dataset mostly stand well outside it.
Temperate Conifer Forests
- Arizona Mountains forests
- Colorado Rockies forests
- South Central Rockies forests
Other Pinus in the catalogue
51 of the top 2,000 species are in this genus.
