Pinus cembroides monophylla (Blue needled Pinyon Pine, Pinyon Pine)

Pinus cembroides monophylla (Blue needled Pinyon Pine, Pinyon Pine), usually treated in horticulture as a form of Pinus monophylla, is a small, slow-growing, drought-tolerant pinyon pine with single bluish needles and large edible seeds (pine nuts).  

Habit and size This species typically forms a small tree or large shrub, often with a rounded, dense to somewhat irregular crown at maturity. Heights are commonly about 5–10 m (15–30 ft), with a relatively short trunk and many upswept branches.  

Foliage and appearance It is the only pine that normally bears just one needle per fascicle, and the needles are short, thick, and rigid. The foliage is grey-green to strongly bluish-glaucous, which is why nursery material is often sold as “blue needled pinyon pine.”  

Cones and seeds Seed cones are rounded to broadly ovoid, maturing over about two growing seasons and then opening on the tree. They produce relatively large, thick-shelled but easily cracked seeds (pine nuts) that are rich in fats and eaten by wildlife and people.  

Range and ecology Wild populations of P. monophylla occur in the interior West of North America, forming open pinyon–juniper woodlands on dry, rocky slopes and plateaus. The trees are very drought tolerant, adapted to poor, well‑drained soils and significant temperature extremes.  

Cultivation notes In cultivation, blue-needled pinyon prefers full sun and sharply drained, often sandy or rocky soils, and it resents heavy, wet conditions. Growth is slow, but the species is long-lived and valued as a tough ornamental and nut tree in dry climates and xeric landscapes.