Pinus balfouriana

Foxtail pine

Family: Pinaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Foxtail pine is a California native conifer found in the high elevation areas of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in alpine and subalpine forest habitats at elevations typically above 2,000 meters. Flowering during summer months, this distinctive pine produces distinctive blue-green to yellow-green needles in clusters of five, with each needle measuring 1.5 to 4 centimeters long and curved with sharp tips. Growing as a relatively small tree with mature specimens reaching up to 22 meters tall, it develops a compact crown with short, thick branches and a single, substantial trunk. Its needles are stiff and slightly white on the inner surface, creating a unique bluish-green appearance that helps distinguish it from other high-elevation pine species. The seed cones are pendent, measuring 6 to 19 centimeters long and featuring ovoid shapes with scaled tips and small prickles.

California counties: Inyo, Fresno, Tulare, Trinity, Tehama, Siskiyou, Plumas, Mono

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.