Colorado Pinyon Pine (Piñon Nuts) (Pinus edulis)

Family: Pinaceae | Edibility: Choice Edible (4/5)

Iconic drought-hardy, slow-growing pine of the high desert Southwest. Yields rich, butter-soft pine nuts that have sustained human life for thousands of years.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Nuts/Seeds, Bark/Inner Bark, Pollen

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Fall, Late Summer, Spring, Winter

Flavor & Culinary Uses

Sweet, buttery, piney, delicate, and melt-in-the-mouth rich. — Gently roasted in a skillet or Dutch oven over coals until shells pop; Ground into rich pine nut meal or wild nut butters; Pounded into traditional pinole energy cakes; Tossed into wild Southwestern pestos and roasted vegetable dishes

Habitat & North American Range

Arid tablelands, mesas, rocky canyon rims, and foothills between 4,500 and 7,500 feet elevation. (Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8)