10. Bigcone Pine

(Pinus Coulteri)

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Heavy cones of woody texture, armed with stout, sharp hooks distinguish the fruit of this pine. Bricklike cones require unusually thick branches and twigs. The 9-14 inch needles, clustered in trios, are proportionately sturdy. This Californian native's scientific name commemorates Thomas Coulter (1793-1843), an Irish botanist and physician who discovered the species while collecting plants in Mexico and California. The tree has been cultivated since 1832 for its striking ornamental qualities. On campus, many Bigcone Pines are by McMahon Hall and Gardener's Vista, but this one at Winkenwerder Hall, behind the concrete patio, has the thickest trunk.

[Leaves and cone of Bigcone Pine]

Pictured below: Map showing the geographic range of Bigcone Pine.

[Bigcone Pine range map]

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Campus Public Art Program
University of Washington
Box 353440
Seattle, WA 98195
Published Online: July 1997