Pinus sabiniana, or California foothill pine, is a graceful medium sized pine with an open airy growth pattern which often forms a multi-trunked irregular tree, unlike many other pines. The attractive silvery-gray needles sit in fascicles of 3 which are sparse and because of their impressive length of up to 12 inches droop gracefully. Also known as gray pine, Pinus sabiniana, grows at sea level up to 4 thousand feet, from southern Oregon down into California where it rings the central valley.
The nuts of the tree, produced on a giant cone up to 14 inches long, were collected and eaten by native tribes who are thought to have inadvertently aided in the distribution of the California foothill pine, which historically comes from areas of what is today the southwestern US and Mexico. With its interesting and graceful habit and rarely reaching heights above 40 or 50 feet, the California foothill pine is ideal for use in a landscape setting and is extremely drought tolerant.
