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Plants that fill a similar niche:
Pinus bungeana Form
Pinus edulis Pinus edulis
Pinus wallichiana Pinus wallichiana
Pinus aristata has some common insect problems:
Pests of Conifers

Rocky Mountain Bristlecone Pine Pinus aristata

Other Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
PY-nus a-ris-TAH-tuh
Description

One of the oldest trees on earth, this tree is a dwarf, shrubby but picturesque specimen with an irregular (rounded, flattened) spread when young and retains these characteristics as it matures. Its tapering, twisted trunk is up to 3 feet in diameter.  Its blue-green needles are aromatic and covered with a resinous fluid.

It will grow in a variety of soil types including dry, infertile or rocky.  You may want to protect from drying winds.  

This species has both pollen cones and seed cones.  The blueish-red pollen cones are a somewhat rounded shape (not perfectly round).  The seed cones mature on trees after approximately 2 years and fall to the ground.  Before opening, they are a cylindric shape, becoming a purple to brown colored egg-shaped with a triangular base after opening.  The grey-brown to black seeds are an elongated egg shape.

Insect, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  This tree is susceptible to wind damage.  

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Blue Bear'
    Extremely thickly branched. Blueish green coloring. Growth rate of 4 - 6” per year
  • 'Blue Heron'
    Blue-green foliage
  • 'Cecilia'
    Dwarf, dense, rounded
  • 'Formal Form'
    Narrow upright form, bluish green foliage, 1 1/2" long needles grow in bundles of five.
  • 'Joe's Bess'
    Dwarf habit, broad upright form, bluish green foliage, uniform shape
  • 'Lemon Frost'
    Gold to yellow-green foliage
  • 'Sherwood Compact'
    Dwarf form, rounded form with short needles
'Blue Bear', 'Blue Heron', 'Cecilia', 'Formal Form', 'Joe's Bess', 'Lemon Frost', 'Sherwood Compact'
Tags:
#evergreen#drought tolerant#dwarf#wind tolerant#deer resistant#nighttime garden#picturesque#fragrant needles#pollinator plant#larval host plant#wind damage prone#imperial moth#wildlife friendly
 
Pinus aristata
Branches Richard Elzey CC BY-SA 4.0
Capsicum annuum
Cone Matt Lavin CC-BY-SA 2.0
Capsicum annuum
Foliage Bgautrea CC-BY-SA 2.0
Pinus aristata
'Sherwood Compact' David J. Stang CC BY-SA 4.0
Pinus aristata
Foliage and bark Tom DeGomez, University of Arizona, Bugwood.org
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Blue Bear'
    Extremely thickly branched. Blueish green coloring. Growth rate of 4 - 6” per year
  • 'Blue Heron'
    Blue-green foliage
  • 'Cecilia'
    Dwarf, dense, rounded
  • 'Formal Form'
    Narrow upright form, bluish green foliage, 1 1/2" long needles grow in bundles of five.
  • 'Joe's Bess'
    Dwarf habit, broad upright form, bluish green foliage, uniform shape
  • 'Lemon Frost'
    Gold to yellow-green foliage
  • 'Sherwood Compact'
    Dwarf form, rounded form with short needles
'Blue Bear', 'Blue Heron', 'Cecilia', 'Formal Form', 'Joe's Bess', 'Lemon Frost', 'Sherwood Compact'
Tags:
#evergreen#drought tolerant#dwarf#wind tolerant#deer resistant#nighttime garden#picturesque#fragrant needles#pollinator plant#larval host plant#wind damage prone#imperial moth#wildlife friendly
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Pinus
    Species:
    aristata
    Family:
    Pinaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Woody
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Root Cutting
    Seed
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Southwestern USA
    Fire Risk Rating:
    high flammability
    Wildlife Value:
    This plant supports Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 8 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Perennial
    Tree
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Needled Evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Dense
    Oval
    Growth Rate:
    Slow
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    Loam (Silt)
    Shallow Rocky
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Available Space To Plant:
    24-60 feet
    NC Region:
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Summer
    Fruit Length:
    > 3 inches
    Fruit Description:
    Inconspicuous, thorn-like appearance
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Red/Burgundy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Summer
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    Buds are ovoid-shaped, inconspicuous
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Needled Evergreen
    Leaf Color:
    Blue
    Green
    White
    Leaf Feel:
    Prickly
    Leaf Value To Gardener:
    Fragrant
    Showy
    Leaf Type:
    Needles
    Simple
    Leaf Shape:
    Linear
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Description:
    1 to 1.7 in. bluish-green needles in bundles of 5, often dotted with white resin.
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Dark Brown
    Dark Gray
    Red/Burgundy
    Bark Description:
    Gray to red-brown bark is shallowly fissured with long, flat irregular ridges.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Lawn
    Meadow
    Naturalized Area
    Recreational Play Area
    Walkways
    Woodland
    Landscape Theme:
    Nighttime Garden
    Rock Garden
    Winter Garden
    Design Feature:
    Accent
    Foundation Planting
    Mass Planting
    Screen/Privacy
    Specimen
    Attracts:
    Moths
    Pollinators
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer
    Drought