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Biology 250
Pinus flexilis
Limber Pine
Habitat
Limber pine grows from Alberta and southeastern British Columbia to New Mexico, Arizona, and eastern California. Notable outliers of this general distribution are found in the western portions of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska, and in eastern Oregon and southwestern California.
In the northern half of its distribution, limber pine is generally found near lower tree line and on dry sites in the montane forests. Between the 45th and 40th parallels, it grows in both lower and upper elevation forests and anywhere in between on dry, windswept sites. Its position gradually shifts upward in more southerly latitudes, so that in southern portions of its distribution, limber pine is more common from upper montane to alpine tree line, with only minor occurrences in the lower forested zones.
Flowering and Seeds
Limber pine is monoecious-male and female strobili are borne separately on the same tree. As with most pines, male strobili predominate in the lower crown and female strobili most often develop at the apical end of main branches in the upper crown. Male strobili emerge from buds in the spring and are arranged in small clusters of indistinct spirals. They may be green or yellow to reddish purple but turn brown when mature and about to shed their pollen. Pollen is shed during June and July. Female strobili emerge from buds shortly after the male strobili and are green or red to purple. Cone scales flex and they remain receptive to pollen for only a relatively short time during June and July. After pollination, scales close and the strobili begin to develop slowly.
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