Plant Details

Pinus edulis

Piñon

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Common names

32 names · 15 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Colorado Pinyon[1]
  • Colorado Piñon[1]
  • nut pine[1]
+9 more namesShow fewer names
  • Pinyon Pine[1]
  • Piñon
  • Piñon Pine[1]
  • Rocky Mountain pinyon[1]
  • Twin-needle Pinyon[1]
  • Two-needle Pinyon[1]
  • Two-needle Pinyon Pine[1]
  • Twoneedle Pinyon[1]
  • Twoneedle Piñon[1]
Other languages (14)
Dutch
  • Rocky Mountain den
French
  • Pin du Nouveau Mexique[1]
  • Pin parasol
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 松子松[1]
  • 矮松[1]
  • 科罗拉多果松[1]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 松子松[1]
  • 矮松[1]
  • 科羅拉多果松[1]
Czech
  • borovice jedlá[1]
Danish
  • murrayklitfyr[1]
Finnish
  • koloradonpähkinämänty[1]
Italian
  • pino del colorado[1]
Navajo
  • Chá’oł[1]
Polish
  • sosna orzechowa[1]
Russian
  • Сосна съедобная[1]
Slovak
  • borovica sladká[1]
Spanish
Tewa
Sources & name notes (1)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Pinus edulis — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Colorado Pinyon — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • Two-needle Pinyon — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • Twin-needle Pinyon — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • Pino dulce — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • Piñon Pine — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • Pinyon Pine — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • Сосна съедобная — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • borovice jedlá — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • borovica sladká — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • 矮松 — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • 松子松 — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • 科罗拉多果松 — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • Two-needle Pinyon Pine — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • Twoneedle Pinyon — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • Colorado Piñon — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • Twoneedle Piñon — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • nut pine — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • Rocky Mountain pinyon — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • 科羅拉多果松 — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • 松子松 — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • 矮松 — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • pino del colorado — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • Piñón — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • T'o — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • Chá’oł — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • murrayklitfyr — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • Pin du Nouveau Mexique — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • sosna orzechowa — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.
  • koloradonpähkinämänty — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 57902; Pinus edulis.

General information

Scientific name: Pinus edulis
Accepted name (Kew): Pinus edulis Engelm. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Pinaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Pinus (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Piñon
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Nut tree
Catalogue size class: Medium
Height: 3.05–6.1 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Spread: 3.66–10.97 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Growth rate: Slow
Sources [3]
Foliage: Evergreen
Sources [3]
Growth habit: Oval

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [3]
Life cycle: Perennial
Sources [3]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [3]
Soil moisture:
Well-drained

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [3]
Soil:
Clay, Loam (Silt), Sand, Shallow Rocky
Sources [3]
pH:
Acidic Neutral
Light:
Full sun
Sources [3]

Uses

Edible parts:
Seed, Seed capsule, Tea, Gum, Inner bark
Edibility rating:
(4)
Medicinal rating:
(2)
Functions:
Adhesive, Dye, Gum, Herbicide, Paint, Wood

Description

Seeds can be eaten both raw and cooked and have a slightly resinous flavor. They can be ground into flour and used in stews, bread, cakes, and nut butters. The seeds are up to 25 mm long and contain a lot of oil, protein, and thiamine, with about 15% protein. Local Native Americans have traditionally eaten these seeds, and they are also sold at local markets in Colorado and New Mexico. About 450,000 pounds of seeds are sold each year in the U.S. market. The leaves can be used to make tea. Unripe female cones can be roasted, with the soft core forming a sweet, sticky food. The bark can be boiled and cut into strips, after which it has a sweet taste and can be cooked like spaghetti. The dried bark can be ground into a powder and used as a thickener in soups or mixed with grain flour when making bread. The resin from the trunk can be hardened and used as gum. By releasing other resins from the wood, byproducts can be obtained, such as a vanillin aroma.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 00/00
Harvest ends: 00/00

Crown

Crown shape: Flattened with age
Sources [3]
Crown density: Dense crown

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 836404; name ID 380659; Pinus L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1217695; name ID 379820; Pinus edulis Engelm..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Pinus edulis

    Taxonomic data from WFO Pinopsida, version 2026-06 01, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 948340, ID 4J269: Pinus edulis Engelm. (accepted).

    Source checked on .

  3. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Pinus edulis — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: Crown shapeHeightSpreadGrowth rateFoliageGrowth habitLife cycleLightSoil moistureSoil textureUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Crown shape: Description: crown architecture
    • Height: Dimensions > Height; Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
    • Spread: Dimensions > Width; Width: 12 ft. 0 in. - 36 ft. 0 in.
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .