Habitat and Range
The Foothill Pine has a tendancy to grow in the foothills of the Sierra. It generally grows on steep and dry slopes below 5000 ft in all parts of the Sierra Nevada.
Physical Description
Growing up to 110 ft tall, this pine dominatres the Sierra foothills. With its forking trunk and grayish-green appearance, it stands out from other pines. The bark is dark gray when young and yellowish-gray with age. The needles are in bundles of 3 and have a thin or wispy look from afar. They are 4-12 inches long and gray to green in color. The cone is 6-8 inches long and covered with very strong scales that have pointed but reflexed tips. The seed is large and has a small wing.
Food Uses
As with any pine, the leaves are the source of a tea that is rich in both taste and Vitamin C. The cambium, or inner bark, can be eaten raw or boiled, but is best when fresh in the spring. Seeds of all Pinus spp are edible, and the Foothill Pine has rather large ones. Try picking an unopened cone from the tree and letting it dry and naturally loosen its scales. Otherwise you could waste a lot of energy trying to open this tough cone. The cone itself is also very sappy, so you might consider wearing gloves to pick the cones from the tree.
Medicinal Uses
Some Sierran natives chewed the gummy pitch to relieve the pain of rheumatism. They also used the pitch as a salve for skin rashes, burns, and sores. Historically, the high concentration of Vitamin C in the leaf-tea provided protection from scurvy.
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