Pinaceae (Pinus)
Pinus (albicalus)
Pinaceae
Pine
Pinus
albicalus
whitebark pine
PIAL
Found in subalpine ecosystems in the Sierra Nevada to Cascade Ranges, costal ranges, and Rocky Mountains. Southern British Columbia, adjacent to Alberta and south to central California, northern Nevada, Idaho, Montana, to northeast Oregon and western Wyoming.
Seeds
Propagules (seeds, cutings, poles, etc.)
seed processing
Excerpt From Woody Plant Seed Manual: Cones mature in 2 years, and are small, hard and circular, 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 in) long and are borne generally in groups, and non-winged seeds with a body length of 3 to 4 mm (0.11 to 0.15 in). Ripe cones are a dark brown to purple color. Cones do not shed seed and collection can be delayed if cones have been caged.
Cones ripen in September and October. Cones are caged in the spring to prevent animal predation of the seed. Cones can be collected by using ladders, hydraulic lifts, or by climbing trees. Cones should be dried after harvest to prevent internal heating, mold development, and rapid seed deterioration. Cones are put in burlap or mesh bags. Cones do not flare open.
Pre-Processing – Cones can be dried by placing in a warm drying shed for several days or by placing them in a kiln 100 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 20 hours. Cones must cool before processing as pitch will stick to the seed and the machines. Drying of cones is critical to be able to retrieve the seed. Processing – *Note: all processing of PIAL must take place in 60-degree temps or less. This includes handling, extraction, and finishing. This is to ensure that excessive pitch does not accumulate on equipment or the seed. Extraction: Cones are broken open by hand to remove seed. Cones may easily crumble or need to be opened with some force. De-winging: This species does not have a wing. Finishing: Material is sieved to separate seed from inert material and pitch; sieve sizes 1/8” and 5/16”. Seed is finished using a Mater Continuous Seed Blower (CSB) to remove empty, non-viable seed. Air varies by machine and by seed lot, but generally high air set at 200-250. Note: Seed from this species is often collected on an individual tree basis and the goal is to keep as much seed as possible. Often these individual trees have been screened for rust-resistance and the seed is very valuable to the client.
Number of Seeds per Pound: 3,409 Average percent purity: 99 Average percent fill: 88 Estimation of PLS/bag: 2,258 *PLS calculated using fill% *This PIAL information comes from 353 processing records at the Bend Seed Extractory from collections seasons 1990 through 2019. Number of Seeds per Pound: 3,409 Average percent purity: 99 Average percent fill: 88 Estimation of PLS/bag: 2,258 *PLS calculated using fill% *This PIAL information comes from 353 processing records at the Bend Seed Extractory from collections seasons 1990 through 2019.
Herriman, Kayla . 2023. Propagation protocol for production of Propagules (seeds, cutings, poles, etc.) Pinus albicalus Seeds seed processing; USDA FS - R6 Bend Seed Extractory Bend, Oregon. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2024/12/21). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.