Pinus aristate, Colorado bristlecone pine USDA H-5 hardy and drought resistant.
Very rarely found in horticulture above 4” tall
Branching is low, and often becomes contorted. Densely crowded dark green needles with conspicuous whitish resin droplets that can persist for up to 17yrs at a time. Strikingly purple seed cones ripening to dark brown
In it’s natural habitat, up to 5-10m, but in the UK much smaller and also considered a dwarf that one would be lucky to see get to 6 feet in one’s lifetime Very slow growing and long lived(up to 3000yrs plus),prefers drier sites. Seed grown versions of aristata grow @1” pa. for the first 5-10yrs
