Pinus monophylla
Singleleaf pinyon pine, Singleleaf Pinyon Pine
(c) Dawn Endico, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Pinaceae · Type: Tree · Native
Pinus monophylla (Singleleaf pinyon pine) is a native California tree in the Pinaceae family, recognized by Single needles make it unmistakable among California pines.
Singleleaf pinyon pine is a California native shrub found in central Sierra Nevada Mountains, Tehachapi, southeastern South Coast Ranges, Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, southeastern Sierra Nevada, and desert mountains in pinyon/juniper woodland at elevations below 2,800 meters. Its distinctive feature is having just a single needle per bundle, with needles 2 to 7 centimeters long, often curved and colored gray or blue-green. Growing as a compact tree with a trunk less than 15 meters tall and less than 40 centimeters wide, it develops a mature crown that is much-branched and rounded. The needles emerge with a deciduous sheath and have a distinctive curved appearance that helps distinguish this pine from other species. Its seed cones are spreading, spheric-ovoid, 3 to 12 centimeters long, typically light or red-brown with scale tips featuring angled, truncate knobs less than 1 centimeter wide.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Single needles make it unmistakable among California pines
Habitat and range
Habitat: Pinyon/juniper woodland
Elevation: < 2800 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Inyo, Kern, Fresno, Los Angeles, Mono, Alpine, Riverside, Imperial, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Tulare, San Luis Obispo, Amador, Sierra, Tuolumne, Alameda
Outside California: to southeastern Idaho, northern Baja California
How to tell it apart
vs Pseudotsuga: Pine needles come bundled in groups with papery sheaths; Douglas-fir needles attach individually to smooth twigs.; vs Abies: Pine needles come bundled in groups of 2-5; fir needles attach individually and directly to twigs.; vs Sequoia: Pine has bundled needles in groups of 2-5; redwood has individual scale-like or awl-shaped leaves on flat sprays.; vs Casuarina: Pine has true needles bundled in groups; Casuarina has jointed branchlets with whorls of tiny scale leaves.; vs Cedrus: Pine needles are bundled in tight clusters of 2-5; cedar needles grow in dense rosette-like clusters on short shoots.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pinus monophylla native to California?
Yes. Pinus monophylla is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Pinus monophylla grow?
Pinus monophylla occurs in San Bernardino, Inyo, Kern, Fresno, Los Angeles, Mono, Alpine, Riverside and other counties, at elevations of < 2800 m.
What plant family does Pinus monophylla belong to?
Pinus monophylla is in the Pinaceae family, genus Pinus.
What habitat does Pinus monophylla grow in?
Pinus monophylla grows in Pinyon/juniper woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.