Knobcone Pine

Pinus attenuata (Pinaceae) is a three-needled pine native to the mountains of Oregon and California south into Baja California. It grows 30 to 50 feet tall with an irregular, often asymmetric crown. The distinctive knobby, serotinous cones remain closed on the tree for years, opening to release seeds after fire.

Knobcone pine is a fire-adapted pioneer species that colonizes burned slopes and poor soils. It requires full sun and well-drained conditions. The species is short-lived compared to most pines. It is rarely planted as an ornamental. Hardy in Zones 7a to 8b.