On our latest adventure I was reminded of some wild facts, and as I took pictures and looked up additional details about the tree, I knew it was going to be my fun fact for this month.
We were traveling through an area that had experienced a wildfire late last summer and into late fall (The SmithRiverComplex Fire). When driving through a fire scar area everything looks very different from normal. There were signs of new growth everywhere, which was exciting to see. Vibrant green ferns against the dark black of a burnt tree, with the contrast of the bright blue sky…it was captivating. I also kept seeing these trees as we drove, they had cones tightly clinging to the trunks. “What is this weird tree?” This was my first time encountering the trees with the cones fully open. We set up camp for the night and as we began exploring it hit me… this tree is special, I remember reading about it.
The Knobcone Pine – Pinus attenuata
What makes this tree unique and worthy of a fun facts post? Well, it isn’t like other pine trees. Once pine cones are mature, most pine trees open their cones, release their seeds, and eventually the cone drops from the tree. Not the Knobcone Pine. This tree requires extreme heat before the cones will open, typically the heat of a wildfire. Until this extreme heat hits, the cone is pretty much sealed by the resin the cone produces. Cones that do not see this extreme heat will remain closed and attached to the tree. The seeds remain safe within the sealed cone for up to 50 years. Sometimes, the tree begins to grow around the cones, which gives the Knobcone Pine the nickname ‘the tree that swallows its cones’.
Image from Northwest Conifers (http://nwconifers.com/sw/knobcone.htm)
The tree: grows up to 30’ tall. Rough looking due to the fact it grows in very poor, rocky conditions. It grows in scattered locations throughout California and Southern Oregon. Growing in areas susceptible to wildfire. The cone: grows in whorls around the trunk and branches. About 4-6inches long. Tightly closed it is a very rough, knobby cone…Knobcone. It all makes sense now.
It was hard to capture these trees in pictures. Notice the branches are completely covered in cones? That was probably one of the tallest trees in the area we were in. The smaller trees in the other pictures were probably 10′ tall, and the trunks were completely covered in cones. Fully open, the cone is absolutely beautiful! There are deep shades of purple and red, contrasted from the gray exterior, its amazing!
A tree that saves its cones to reproduce and regrow the forest after a wildfire. A cone that does not burn in the wildfire, but slowly opens over time after the fire and releases its seeds. New growth, after extreme devastation.
Think about how amazing that is!
Go on an adventure- see what you can find!
babyrangerbooks.com 
You must be logged in to post a comment.