Bristlecone Pine

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Bristlecone Pine Facts

Without doubt, the remarkable flora known as the Bristlecone Pine ranks as the oldest known non-clonal living species on Earth. However, the truly descriptive common term actually applies to a total of three separate related plant species. Though not unknown, it’s uncommon.
All three of these tree species grow extremely slowly, though, primarily due to the particularly dry soil, cold conditions, high winds, and short growing seasons. But, still another unique characteristic distinguishes these absolutely amazing trees from any similar species.
That holds true due to a surprising condition of their nature. That’s the fact that they also never attain a very great height. Even the needles on this pine appear to be extremely long-lasting. That’s because many of them remain on the branches for as long as forty years.
Genetically related and visually quite similar pines also happen to exist. Some of these creations of Nature and botanical evolution even coexist with them in the same habitat range. This fact, therefore, often renders it quite difficult to distinguish one species from the other.
Due to this challenging situation, an exact tally of the numbers of the Bristlecone Pine remains impossible to determine with complete accuracy. The IUCN, however, currently lists all three species of the Bristlecone Pine as Near Threatened on its Red List of Threatened Species.
Each of these wonders face multiple threats to their continued existence as species. Most of those perils stem from the actions of mankind, like most forms of life on earth today. These dangers include the closely related hazards of habitat loss and ongoing climate change.

Southern Magnolia, Magnolia grandiflora — Southern Magnolia

Bristlecone Pine Physical Description

The amazing Bristlecone Pine truly remains one of the most unusual trees on the planet, and never fails to amaze those who view it. In fact, it develops a most distinctive shape. That holds true because the trunks of the amazing type of pine develop in extremely gnarled shapes and patterns.

This trend obviously has the net result of giving the intriguing plants an unmistakable shape. These truly breathtaking trees also manage to pack all of these mesmerizing qualities into a surprising package. That’s because these amazing flora remain relatively small compared to most relatives.

In fact, no known individuals of these wonders ever achieve a height measuring greater than 60 ft (18.3 m). Amazingly, most specimens actually remain considerably shorter than that. Even its root system develops in a highly unusual nature. This occurs because this grows extremely branched.

This particular component of the remarkable tree’s physical design also typically remains quite shallow in nature. Generally, however, only a surprising small number of the larger roots provide the needed stability. Even the wood of the stunning Bristlecone Pine stands out from most other pines.

In point of fact, this astonishing feature of the fascinating three species develops as extremely dense in nature. Yet, interestingly enough, it’s also typically quite resinous. This unexpected characteristic also has the benefit of providing the tree with resistance to insect pests, aiding in its longevity.

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Pinales
Family: Pinaceae
Genus: Pinus

Bristlecone Pine Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology

Of great interest to those observers who appreciate the resourcefulness and tenacity of Nature remains the habitat that the astonishing Bristlecone Pine evolved as indigenous to. That’s due to yet one more particularly amazing fact common to all three varieties of the highly unique plant.

That’s true because these stunning trees appear to live only on a few remote, notably dry mountaintops in six states in the United States, in North America. This awesome plant also typically grows at high altitudes ranging between 5,600 and 11,200 ft (1,700 and 3,400 m) in elevation.

Even within this habitat zone, however, the botanical wonder displays certain clear preferences. The vast majority of known individuals of each of the three species generally occur at the higher end of this altitude range. Incredibly, these examples appear at or above altitudes of 10,000 ft.

These marvels of evolution perfectly display the remarkable variety and resourcefulness of Nature in a very specific manner. They grow only in rocky, dolomitic soils with poor nutrient content, often on slopes and ridges. It also favors high amounts of sandstone, limestone, calcium, and magnesium.

Another astonishing fact remains about every form of the mesmerizing Bristlecone Pine. Known specimens average 1000 years old. In fact, the oldest one, bearing the name Methuselah, is currently 4,789 years old. But still one more fact remains to make these trees true marvels of Nature.

That’s due to the truth that, given their incredibly great density, dead trees frequently remain standing for centuries after their demise! Thankfully, most recognized surviving individual trees now reside within the confines of several National Parks and thus enjoy a certain amount of protection.