Bristlecone Pine

Pinus aristata

Pinaceae · coniferous tree · introduced

Last updated May 27, 2026

Plant Profile

Size & Form

Height

500 ft

Spread

13 ft

Growth Rate

Slow

Size at 20 yr

15 ft

Lifespan

Long-lived

Site Requirements

Light

Full Sun

Soil Drainage

Well Drained

Soil pH

5.7-7.5

Water

Low

Drought Tolerance

High

Hardiness

Zones 4a–8b

Ornamental Interest

Bloom Time

Summer

Origin

the mountains of Colorado

Damping-offHigh

Seedling Emergence - Postemergence Damping-off Risk

Pine needle scaleHigh

Crawler Emergence

Armillaria Root RotModerate

Active Below-ground Growth

Cyclaneusma Needle CastModerate

Spring Needle Infection

+ 4 more — see full disease and pest lists below

Diseases: Regionally Documented (24)

Endocronartium harknessii Western Gall Rust Cronartium ribicola White Pine Blister Rust Phytophthora spp. (P Phytophthora Root Rot Lophodermium spp. Lophodermium Needle Cast Lophodermella concolor Lophodermella Needle Cast Elytroderma deformans Elytroderma Needle Cast Arceuthobium spp. (parasitic plant) Dwarf Mistletoe Armillaria spp. — primarily A Armillaria Root Rot Symptom category — not a single disease Canker Cyclaneusma minus Cyclaneusma Needle Cast Several soilborne Damping-off Dothistroma septosporum (and/or D Dothistroma Needle Blight (Red Band) Gray Mold Heterobasidion occidentale Otrosina & Garbel Heterobasidion Root Disease In most Hypocotyl Rot and Root Rot Davisomycella medusa Medusa Needle Blight Rhabdocline spp. including R Needle Cast Needle Rusts Bursaphelenchus xylophilus Pine Wilt Excess sodium chloride Salt Damage Sirococcus conigenus Sirococcus Shoot Blight Fomitopsis officinalis, Porodaedalea pini, and other wood... Stem Decay Diaporthe vaccinii or Diplodia tip blight agents Tip Blight Multiple fungal species cause twig blight on different ho... Twig Blight

Pests: Regionally Documented (18)

Eriophyidae (family) Eriophyid mite Pineus strobi Pine bark adelgid Dioryctria spp. Coneworm Pine Aphid Pissodes strobi White pine weevil Tetranychidae Spider mite Synanthedon sequoiae Sequoia pitch moth Pine Needle Sheathminer Pine Sheath Miner Chionaspis pinifoliae Pine needle scale Pine Butterfly Coloradia pandora Pandora moth Dendroctonus ponderosae Mountain pine beetle Rhyacionia buoliana European pine shoot moth Nuculaspis californica Black pineleaf scale Neodiprion spp. Pine sawfly Eulachnus agilis Powdery pine needle aphid Otiorhynchus spp. Root weevil Schizolachnus piniradiatae Woolly pine needle aphid

Phenological Calendar

View full calendar (5 stages)

Stage	Typical Window	What to Look For
Candle elongation BBCH 11	Feb 15-Mar 15	Pale, elongating shoots (candles) covered in papery scale leaves. Five needles per fascicle emerge as candle extends. Extremely long-lived tree (thousands of years)
Pollen release BBCH 61	Jul 1-Jul 31	Male strobili usually clustered at base of current year's candles; purple pollen visible
Pollen shed complete BBCH 69	Jul 15-Aug 15	Female conelets (small, reddish or purple) visible at shoot tips after pollination
Cone development (year 1-2) BBCH 71	Jun 1-Aug 31	Cones elongate. Five-needle fascicles characteristic. Small cones 4-8 cm. Mature over second year
Cone maturity and seed shed BBCH 85	Sep 1-Nov 30	Woody cones 4-8 cm long; scales spread to release winged seeds

Cultivars (1)

'Bashful 75'

Common name: Bashful #75 Bristlecone PineBashful Bristlecone Pine

Hardy to USDA Zone 4

Data Maturity

Structured Multiple sources. Expert review underway.