Need help identifying a pine tree

S

Sylvia

Location
Montana
We were recently at a client's who has purchased trees from a variety of areas. We were able to identify everything but this beautiful pine. She has two purchased here in Western Montana (zone 4) but at a nursery that has since gone out of business.

The colors in the photos are very true to actual. The tree appears to be grafted. The bark is very smooth but it is a 2 (sometimes 3) needle pine. I can't help but think the cone is diagnostic but for the life of me, cannot come up with it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Sylvia
 

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The color of this immature cone has got to be diagnostic. It was as brilliant blue as the picture depicts.
 

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Hi Sylvia,
Yes, check out whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) as Holly mentions. Also, though, the smooth bark reminds me of Limber pines (P. flexilis). Both trees intermingle across the Rocky Mts. (Their seeds are eaten by birds & bears.)
Little is known about either tree and their ecology although research has started on the whitebark pine.
A lot of destruction is happening to these trees due to rust .. or so I heard.

-Diane-
 
Thanks for the thoughts everyone. But remember the caveat here: 2 to 3 needle pine. That's the kicker.

Both the Pinus albicaulis and the P. flexilis are five needle. She also had a P. flexilis on the property. Love them, beautiful trees.

The P. albicaulis has been virtually wiped out in native stands here, due to WPBR, and there is a movement to have it placed on the endangered species list.

The shape of this pine is indeed reminiscent of the Austrian pine, and the deep color of the needles is also similar. However, the cones and bark are distinctly different. The Austrian having green cones turning brown and the bark, even on young trees having a vertical black fizzuring.

The bark on this tree indeed has a white pine bark appearance; smooth and silvery gray. And the limbs remind me of a P. mugo. But those cones!!! I just have to believe the color is going to help us out here.

Sylvia
 
The blue cone is not always an ID help.
If you check out the Korean and Taiwanese pines they can have one year old cones that are blue .... or brown and sometimes both on the same tree.

Isn't tree ID fun ?
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P.S.
Congratulations on your article in TCIA magazine! -
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-Diane-
 
Thanks, Diane, the article was fun to write.

I do love dendrology...the descriptions in texts are always so helpful: brown, sometimes gray, unless it is red. Rough, unless smooth, sometimes furrowed.

Hey, that all narrows it down, doesn't it???

But everything helps when you put it all together.
 
Gord, I think you nailed it with the Bosnian pine! I hadn't thought of that. In googling they are noted for their bluish/purple cones and the youthful growth pattern is a ringer. I couldn't find a really good pic on the bark in googling, but I know they are available at local nurseries and so can go and compare.

We are in ponderosa country here, and ours typically have deep reddish/purple immature cones with distinct red/flaky bark unless super young and then can be fairly smooth. So I was comfortable in saying it wasn't a P-pine (as they are affectionately called here).

Thanks much, everyone, this was driving me nuts.

Now I need to start a thread on an oak we are discussing....

Sylvia
 
Form and cone look rather Austrian-like to me too at first glance. But then the bark did not look the same.

I had never heard of the Bosnian pine before. Sounds like it has quite a bit of longevity.
 
Gord is obviously one bad azz termite who knows his victims very very well,.......and he's a good DJ.

Question for yu Gord.

What's the nastiest most treacherous and dreaded species of pine that PNW climbers bump into the most?

I've heard the wood on this species is good for absolutely nothing but making turpentine out of.

Do you know a logger in the Tahoe area name of Tom Craven?

Thanks.

jomoco
 
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