Sugar Pine (Pinus lambertiana)

Family: Pinaceae | Edibility: Edible (3/5)

Pinus lambertiana is an evergreen Tree growing to 75 m (246ft 1in) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7. It is in leaf all year, in flower from May to June, and the seeds ripen in October. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Wind. The plant is not self-fertile.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Nuts/Seeds

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

Flavor & Culinary Uses

pleasant sweet nutty flavour, with a hint of resin. — Seed - raw or cooked.; A good size, up to 15mm x 10mm.; A pleasant sweet nutty flavour, with a hint of resin.; The nut, together with the shell, can be pulverised into a nut butter.

Habitat & North American Range

Cool, usually fairly moist, mixed coniferous woods in mountainous areas, growing best on deep well-drained soils. (Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9)