gray pine
Pinus sabiniana

Family: Pinaceae.

Type: Medium-sized evergreen conifer.

Leaves: Needles are in bundles of three with a persistent bundle sheath. They have a blue-gray cast.

Twig: Bark is similar to the knbocone pine's: thin and gray. It splits apart to show orange in the fissures. Growth pattern is similar to the knobcone pine in its open, spreading crown with lots of low branches.

Cone: Cylindrical, large, and woody, with scales that end in pointed tips. It is quite similar to the cone of the Coulter pine, but about half the size.

Miscellaneous: Often found in association with blue oaks in foothill woodlands. The grayish color of its needles gives it the common name "ghost pine". Its old name, digger pine, is not used any more because it had pejorative connotations in reference to the Native Americans. It is a yellow pine, as can be seen from its characteristics. It is very shade-intolerant and needs open area for its seeds to germinate and grow, so it is considered fire-dependent. It is a California endemic, and ranges from the Sierra foothills down through the interior Coast Range, forming a large loop. It is not very long-lived, perhaps 50-80 years, like knobcone pine.