54. Digger Pine

Tree Tour

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Head southwest of the flagpole, above Odegaard Library, and marvel at two Digger or Gray-needle Pines, their coarse-barked, candelabrum trunks sporting a loose light garb of long gray needles, and large, squat, cantaloupe-sized cones, dark against the branches. Like Bigcone pine, these are Californians, where they stand out as ghostly pale pines in the foothills. Their cones contain big edible "pine nut" seeds, which were an important food for Indians, whom were derogatorily called diggers (as, for bulbs and roots) by white settlers. Gray pine is an apt, descriptive name, but little used. The specific scientific name commemorates Joseph Sabine (1770-1837), secretary of the Horticultural Society of London, an attorney, naturalist, and patron of David Douglas (of Douglas fir fame).

Pictured below: Map of geographical range of Digger Pine.

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