Two-needle Pinyon Pine (Pinus edulis) - Two Needle Pinyon Pine Trees

Two-needle Pinyon Pine (Pinus edulis) is a coniferous (cone-bearing) tree with round needles that radiate in all directions from the twigs. The cones are egg-shaped and 2- to 3-inches long. This species can be recognized by the needles, which are set in bundles of two (other pines have bundles of 1, 3, or 5 needles).

The Two-needle Pinyon Pine is a common component of the montane vegetation in the Upper Sonoran (Pinyon-Juniper Woodland) life zone in Zion and the Grand Canyon and other places north and east. This species is common, but not immediately around Las Vegas.

Â© 2012 Jim Boone