Interesting Facts About Pine Cones

"Pine" comes from the name of the tree. "Cone" comes from its similarity to the geometric shape. Pine cones may appear to be simply a decorative part of the tree. Actually, they are responsible for repopulating the earth. After the males and females have completed their productive responsibilities, they drop to the ground. Pine cones are used to make all kinds of art projects. Crafters heat them in ovens to make the scales open up. Water makes the cones close again. Learn more interesting facts about pine cones by reading this informative article.

1. Smallest and Largest Pine Cones

When it comes to size, the smallest cone measures approximately an inch, and it comes from the Canadian hemlock. The longest pine cone in the world comes from the Sugar Pine. Its cones can grow up to two feet long! And then there's the whopper of them all, the Coulter pine cone. They're named for Irish botanist Thomas Coulter. They can grow to be 8 to 16 inches long and weigh up to 10 pounds! Also called the Big Cone, these are found in southern California, and in the northern Baja California, Mexico.

2. State Trees

When you think of a pine tree, it's probably at Christmas time, the time when many Americans decorate them. The citizens of North Carolina "celebrate" the Longleaf Pine all year around because it's their state tree. In Maine, their state flower is the White Pine Cone and Tassel.

3. Male and Female Pine Cones

Another interesting fact about pine cones is, they are the reproductive parts of pine trees. The male cones are soft and small. They produce and release pollen, and then die. The winds carry the pollen to the soft, green, sticky female pine cones. After they are fertilized, they grow into brown woody cones. Underneath the hard scales grow conifer seeds. After the seeds have matured in a couple years, the female pine cones open up, and the winds spread the seeds. The females then fall from the tree.

4. Eating Pine Cones

Red and gray squirrels, woodpeckers and crossbills all strip and eat pine cones. If you see a pile of scales under a tree, and the edges of the scales have neatly-cut edges, chances are a squirrel has been feeding there.

We can eat approximately 20 types of pine nuts. They are said to have a buttery taste. They are soft, white seeds found inside pine cones. Pine nuts aren't usually eaten raw. They are toasted to make them crunchy.

A word of warning: If you eat nuts from the Chinese white pine, it can cause "Pine Mouth Syndrome", a bitter, metallic taste in your mouth. There's no cure. After several days, the taste will go away on its own.

Resources

www.pineconefestival.com/facts.html

www.answers.com/topic/what-are-pine-cones#ixzz1jY7mc1ig

https://www.spring-green.com/Newsletter/Fun-With-Pine-Cones.aspx

http://www.maine.gov/portal/facts_history/facts.html

www.nctimes.com/uncategorized/article_48cfb3f3-21a3-5475-9292-af89967b946e.html#ixzz1jYDjthwc

https://www.spring-green.com/Newsletter/Fun-With-Pine-Cones.aspx

http://www.discoverwildlife.com/british-wildlife/how-identify-wildlife-feeding-signs