10 Types of Pine Cones – Shapes, Sizes and Colors

Pine cones are intriguing, and each type of tree carries a different and beautifully unique type of pine cone. Pine cones are actually armor for the precious seeds within. They are well guarded since the gift inside is immensely important to the tree’s species’ lineage down the road. Many animals and insects find sneaky and clever ways to get behind that armor to the tasty seeds within, yet enough once again dispersed is its own fertilized package once it passes through the digestive tracts of some critters. Others are lucky enough to break down and begin life as tiny trees in the spring. Whatever lifecycle happens, pine cones are pretty neat. In this article, we will take a look at some different types of pine cones and the shapes, colors, and sizes that set each apart.

1. Lodgepole Pine Cones (Pinus contorta)

Lodgepole pines are massive, towering trees that can reach 100 feet tall. The pine cones are prickled and egg-shaped. They are 1 – 2 inches long and open during the summer’s hottest days. Each petal on the pine cone has a slightly concave shape, like a tiny spoon. Their color is dark reddish-brown.

2. Coulter Pine Cones (Pinus coulteri)

Pine cones from the coulter pine are some of the most unique. The entire thing is a masterpiece that looks a bit like it was carved from wood. These pine cones can also be enormous! Many are the size of both of your hands side by side. They have an approximate width of nine inches and a length of anywhere between 8 – 20 inches long. Coulter pine cones weigh between 4 – 12 pounds. These trees only grow in the southern coastal mountains of California and as far south as Baja California in Mexico. They are much lighter in color than most pine cones and have a light brown or tan appearance.

3. Sugar Pine Cones (Pinus lambertiana)

Sugar pine cones are slightly different in that they grow in sets of two and are not round like some of the other pine cones in our article. They can, however, become giants like the coulter pine cones. Only the sugar pine cones are very long, reaching lengths of 24 inches! The sugar pine is the tallest of all pine trees and reaches a height of 250 feet. The pine cones pictured are not ripe because their petals have not turned brown, opened, or hardened yet.

4. Eastern White Pine Cones (Pinus strobus)

Pine cones from an eastern white pine tree are much more fragile than some other pine cones on our list. They grow to be 8 inches long and 1 inch wide at maturity. The pine cones have a light to medium brown coloring and are slightly curved. They have a fragrant scent that most people love. They are also prickle-free, making them easy to harvest.

5. Scots Pine Cones (Pinus sylvestris)

The appearance of scots pine cones is reminiscent of pineapple skin. They are prickly and extra small at 2 inches long. The pine cones grow facing backward in bunches. It takes two years for the cones to reach maturity and for the petals to open on a hot, sunny day. The scots pine is the only pine tree native to the U.K. These amazing trees can live to be 700 years old!

6. Ponderosa Pine Cones (Pinus ponderosa)

Female pine cones from the ponderosa pine reach 4 inches when mature. They take two years to mature like the other pine cones. The tips of the pine cone’s petals have small, outcurved prickles. The pine cones are dark brown to orange-brown, depending on the tree’s age.

7. Bosnian Pine Cones (Pinus heldreichii)

The pine cones from the Bosnian pine are bluish-purple when immature but darken to a hearty brown once mature. The yellow male pollen cones grow at the base of the female pine cone shoots. The mature tree grows to 90 feet tall in Bosnian soil.

8. Jeffery Pine Cones (Pinus jeffreyi)

Jeffrey pine cones are lovely and fairly large, measuring 5 – 10 inches long. They are found mainly in California, but some are scattered throughout southwestern Oregon, western Nevada, and Baja California. The tree’s name is for botanist documentor John Jeffrey. The pine cones resemble the ponderosa pine cones, though the Jeffrey pine cones are not as prickly. They are a rich cinnamon-reddish brown when mature.

9. Mugo Pine Cones (Pinus mugo)

The small mugo pine shrub produces interesting pollen cones (as seen above) from May through July yearly. The male pollen cones are very small, measuring only 0.25 inches long. The female pollen cones grow to 1 – 2.5 inches long once they have matured into dark brown oval-shaped pine cones. The word “mugo” is Italian and means “small mountain pine.” The shrub can reach 30 feet tall and wide, but there is also a dwarf variety that grows to be 2 – 5 feet tall and spreads out wider.

10. Stone Pine Cones (Pinus pinea)

The stone pine cones are unique and not grown in America. They are native to Italy and grown in Europe and the Middle East. The trees are also cultivated in Spain and Portugal. Stone pine cones are medium brown with a glossy appearance. They grow to be 3 – 5 inches long with edible seeds. Once the pine cones open, they are as wide as they are long. These pine cones take three years to mature.