Coulter pine cones are unmistakable. They are HUGE, with umbos that can reach 3 inches. They look nothing like a Ponderosa cone. The lower umbos project outward and they reduce in size as the reach the upper (actually this is upside down, since the big ones are at the point of cone attachment, the top, and the little ones are at the distal end, the bottom). If one happened to sleep under a Coulter pine and a cone fell, it could be disastrous. They can weigh up to 10 pounds! They are common in the Transition and Upper Sonoran life zone throughout southern California. They are something of a "shaggy" tree with blue-gray foliage. Here in Georgia I've got two huge Coulter pine cones on my window ledge along with almost 2 dozen others.

Scott Ranger
"Louise" wrote in message ...
It's a Coulter pine (Pinus coulteri)... photos and description I've found are very similar to what I have.
Many thanks!

Scott Ranger wrote:

Sounds like you have a Jeffery pine cone. It is very closely related to Ponderosa pines, and grows at higher elevations. When I took plant taxonomy in southern California, the test on gymnosperms included a "blind" test of pine cones. The professor put an assortment of cones in a box that we had to put our hand in and feel the cones and identify them. Your description brought back this memory. Jeffrey cones can be up to 11 3/4 inches long, very close to your 30 cm. That is a huge cone for Jeffrey, but possible.

Scott Ranger

"Louise" wrote in message ...
Hi! I'm wondering if there someone who can help me to identify a gymno sp. by its cone. I don't have any picture right now to send, but I will soon.

My boyfriend brought it back from California state and since he doesn't know anything about plants, he just brought back the cone and no info on the tree or other characteristics. It looks like a Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) cone a lot, but it is much bigger : it mesures around 30cm. The "scales" are thick at their end, just like a piece of wood and the "mucron" (sorry! I only know the french term) is longer and more curved. The edges of the "scales" are also very sharp. Right now, the only reference I have is a book on canadian trees species... I'm wondering if southernmost specimens would make bigger cones since the growth conditions are better?

thanks for the help!