Native to the southeastern United States, the Bristlecone pine also referred to as the Hickory Pine. This tree is considered to be one of the oldest living plants on the earth, some specimens have been documented to be upwards of 5,000 years old. Definitely a slow grower, this tree can withstand harsh soils and exposed locations, hardy to zone 4. In habit this tree will reach 10-20 feet tall and have an irregular form. (It will take years to reach this size.) The needles are borne fascicles of five and are blue-green in color. They are often covered in spots of resin and are persistent for many years. (Upwards of 15-20 years)
This tree is suitable for use in the landscape, as it will maintain a small scale, does ideally well in a rock garden. Performing best in the sun this plant is not picky of the soil acidity so long as there is plenty of positive drainage. Care should be given to the location of the planting, as this tree is not tolerant of poor air quality.
An ideal focal plant, this is a hard one to come by in the nursery trade not because it is difficult to propagate, it germinates readily, rather because of its slow growth does not allow the nursery to turn a crop as fast as they would like to. You may have luck finding it from a specialty conifer grower.
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Thanks for letting the public view your picture. The Bristle Bristle Cone Pine is my favorite tree although I have to travel many, many miles to see one. My wife and I live near Hot Springs, AR and have made trips to the west nearly ever year since 1992 and would like to go again and perhaps we will. We are both 80 years old and our traveling day are now limited but will travel as much as we can.
Thanks again for letting us view your pictures.
Wayne
Thanks for posting the pic; it is a beauty. I often wondered why nurseries didn’t carry bristlecone pines; thanks for the explanation.