Foliage Notes:
Green (Evergreen foliage)
Fruit Notes:
Brown (Glossy, light red-brown cones)
Soil Notes:
Prefers a light, moist, well-drained soil; tolerant of drought and alkaline soils
Diagnostic Characteristics:
5-10" long needles are usually in three's (sometimes two's) with sharply-pointed apices and 1" long, persistent sheaths. Stomatic lines present on upper and lower surfaces. The lustrous, light red-brown cones are 3-6" long by 1.5-2" wide with a broad, recurved terminal prickle. Several basal scales generally remain on the branch after the cone falls. Younger stems are green to orange brown and become almost black at maturity. Crushed stems smell of vanilla. The furrowed, dark, brownish-black bark becomes yellow-brown to reddish-brown on mature trees, with irregular, deep fissures surrounding large, scaly plates.
