alpine tree 10-15 m tall; crooked or twisted trunk; Cones purplish. | ||
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General
Description:
An alpine tree 10-15 m tall, with crooked or twisted trunk and whitish, smooth
bark, the twigs yellowish and pubescent; leaves 4-6 cm long, dark green, stiff,
slightly curved; Cones purplish, the scales broad at the apex, with a stout,
pointed umbo; seeds 10-12 mm long with the narrow wings remaining on the scale.
Found only near the timberline. Alta, to B. C., south to Wyo. and Calif. At
lower elevations in protected ravines, it is a straight handsome tree, but at
higher elevations it has a gnarly shrub-like appearance.
Distribution:
Southern British Columbia southward in the Cascade Mountains to the Sierra Nevada
Mountains in California east to south western Alberta southward to west central
Montana, northwest Wyoming, throughout Idaho to Northeastern Oregon.
Habitat:
High mountain rocky ridges commonly close to timberline at elevations of 7,700
feet and greater, but can sometimes occur at elevations of 4500 feet in protected
canyons. Associates are Engelmann Spruce, Lodgepole Pine and Subalpine Larch.
Other:
The large seeds are eaten by Clark’s Nutcrackers, rodents, and squirrels.
Homo sapiens sometimes also roast or eat the seeds raw. The shed needles often
supply a comfortable bed for deer and wild sheep. The wood is knotty, lightweight,
soft and brittle , thus not useful for lumber, but is sometimes used for firewood,
although due to its high elevation habitat is usually not sought after on any
large scale.