Nothing If Not Hardy
Pinus monophylla mature cone For some reason, I’ve grown extremely fond of the scrubby little Nevada state tree, Pinus monophylla, or single needle Piñon Pine. I first became aware of them after I moved to Reno, when I started eating the pine nuts from these local trees (purchased from a nearby grocery store.) They’re big, fat, delicious, and healthy - it’s no wonder they’ve been a staple of people in the Great Basin for at least 6000 years. But I didn’t actually know what the tree looked like until this month. Since taking up temporary residence in Virginia City, I encounter them daily. While wandering the hills and scanning the ground for rattlesnakes, I’m often stopped by the vanilla-lime scent from the clear, copious sap drippings of a nearby Piñon. Pinus monophylla, in VC cemetery These trees never get huge but the biggest ones around here are mostly about 20ft high (there’s a 30-footer in the cemetery.) The Piñons in these hills are relatively youn...