Piņon,
pronounced PIHN yuhn or pronounced PEEN yohn, also spelled Pinyon, is
the name of several species of small pines native to the Southwestern
United States and Mexico. Piņon sometimes grow as sprawling shrubs, but
they more often occur as small trees that measure 15 to 30 feet (5 to 9
meters) tall. Dry, open woodlands of Piņons and junipers cover large
areas of land that is too dry to support forests but not dry enough to
be a true desert.
Piņons have
short needles that grow singly or in clusters of two, three, or more. Piņon
wood can be used to make fence posts or railroad ties, or be
burned as fuel. Piņon cones contain seeds, called pine nuts, that have a
delicate nutty flavor. Pine nuts form an important part of the diet of
Indians of the Southwest.
Scientific
Classification. Piņons belong to the pine family, Pinaceae. The most
common species are Pinus monophylla, P. cembroides, and P. edulis.
Contributor:
Douglas G. Sprugel, Ph.D., Prof. of Forest Ecology, College of Forest
Resources, Univ. of Washington.
