Pinus nelsonii

What to Eat

Edible parts: Seeds, Nuts

The seeds can be eaten raw or cooked. They are oil-rich with a lightly resinous flavour, and are fairly large at around 10mm x 8mm. A vanillin flavouring is also obtained as a by-product of resins released from the pulpwood.

Known Hazards

Where to Find It

It is a subtropical plant.

Central America, Mexico, North America, USA,

How to Identify

Evergreen tree growing to 9m tall. Monoecious, wind-pollinated, not self-fertile. Evergreen foliage; seeds ripen in October. Tolerates light sandy and medium loamy well-drained soils, nutritionally poor conditions, mildly acidic, neutral, and very acidic soils. Requires full sun and grows in dry or moist conditions with drought tolerance.

How to Grow

Thrives in a light well-drained sandy or gravelly loam. Dislikes poorly drained moorland soils. Established plants tolerate drought and are very resistant to maritime exposure. This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c. Only one specimen of this genus is known to be growing in Britain. Planted at Kew in 1910, it was 10 metres tall in 1969. The plants often develop as multi-stemmed shrubs. The cones open and shed their seed whilst still attached to the tree. Plants are strongly outbreeding, self-fertilized seed usually grows poorly. They hybridize freely with other members of this genus. Leaf secretions inhibit the germination of seeds, thereby reducing the amount of plants that can grow beneath the tree. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus.

Propagation: Sow seed in individual pots in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe, or in late winter if not. Stored seed benefits from 6 weeks of cold stratification at 4°c to improve germination. Move seedlings to their permanent positions as soon as possible and protect them for the first winter or two. The root system is very sparse, so early planting is essential for good establishment. Plant trees when small — between 30 and 90cm, ideally around 5–10cm tall — with a thorough weed-excluding mulch. Larger transplants check badly, barely growing for several years, and develop poor root systems and wind resistance. Cuttings are only viable from trees under 10 years old, using single leaf fascicles with the base of the short shoot. Disbudding a few weeks before taking cuttings can help, though cuttings are typically slow to establish.

Medicinal Uses

Turpentine from pine resin is antiseptic, diuretic, rubefacient, and vermifuge. Taken internally, it treats kidney and bladder complaints, and is used both internally and as a rub or steam bath for rheumatic conditions. It supports the respiratory system and is useful for mucous membrane diseases, coughs, colds, influenza, and TB. Externally it treats skin complaints, wounds, sores, burns, and boils, applied as liniment plasters, poultices, herbal steam baths, and inhalers.

Other Uses

A tan or green dye comes from the needles. The needles release terpene when rained on, which negatively affects germination of some plants including wheat. Oleo-resins are extracted by tapping the trunk or by destructive distillation of the wood; warmer-region trees tend to yield more. Turpentine makes up around 20% of the oleo-resin and is separated by distillation, used as a solvent for waxes, in varnish-making, and medicinally. Rosin, the residue after turpentine removal, is used on violin bows and in sealing wax and varnish. Pitch from the resin is used for waterproofing and as a wood preservative.

Pinus nelsonii, Nelson's pinyon, is a species of pine native to the mountains of northeastern Mexico, in Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí and Tamaulipas at 1,800–3,200 m altitude.

Other Information

The seeds are sold in local markets.

Notes

There are over 100 species of Pinus.

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