Pinus albicaulis Engelm.
whitebark pine
Pinaceae (Pine family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
whitebark pine
Pinaceae (Pine family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Species Information
General:
Often contorted and dwarfed, 5-10 m tall, or a shrubby sprawling timberline tree, but also straight and up to 20 m; bark thin with light-whitish scales; young twigs hairy.
Leaves:
Needles in bunches of five, clustered towards ends of branches, (3) 4-7 cm long; yellow green.
Cones:
Seed cones egg-shaped, deep red to purple, (3.5) 5-8 cm long; scales remain closed and shed the seeds slowly, rarely falling from tree intact; pollen cones red.
Illustration
If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia
USDA Species Characteristics
Flower Colour:
Yellow
Blooming Period:
Mid Summer
Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Brown
Present from Summer to Fall
Source: The USDA
Ecology
Ecological Framework for Pinus albicaulis
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
| Site Information |
Value / Class |
||
|
Avg |
Min |
Max |
|
| Elevation
(metres) |
1885 | 253 | 2649 |
| Slope
Gradient (%) |
39 | 0 | 270 |
|
Aspect (degrees) |
194 | 0 | 360 |
| Soil
Moisture Regime (SMR) [0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic; 8 - hydric] |
2 | 0 | 8 |
| Modal
Nutrient Regime
Class |
B | ||
| #
of field plots species was recorded in: |
1616 | ||
| Modal
BEC Zone Class |
ESSF | ||
|
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in |
AT(133), BAFA(20), CWH(1), ESSF(1209), ICH(15), IDF(10), IMA(18), MH(6), MS(99), PP(1), SBS(4) | ||
|
Source:
Klinkenberg 2013
|
|||
Habitat and Range
Mesic to dry slopes in the subalpine to alpine zones; frequent in S BC in and E of Coast-Cascade Mountains, rare northward to C and NE BC; E to SW AB and S to CA, NV and WY.Status Information
| Origin Status | Provincial Status | BC List (Red Blue List) | COSEWIC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native | S2S3 | Blue | E (Apr 2010) |
BC Ministry of Environment: BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer.