BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Pinus coulteri | Coulter Pine 



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Coulter pine is a native evergreen conifer that lives up to 100 years of
age [23].  It attains a height of 30 to 83 feet (9-25 m) and a d.b.h.
of 12 to 31 inches (30-80 cm) [23,29,31,41].  The bark is thick and
roughly furrowed at maturity [29,36,38].  The crown is pyramidal and may
be dense or open, depending upon the site [23,38,41].  Needles occur in
groups of three and are 6 to 12 inches (15-30 cm) long [29,41,50].  The
massive, spiny cones are 9 to 15 inches (24-40 cm) long, occurring in
whorls of four [29,41].  Young trees first bear cones on the trunk.  As
trees mature, cones are also borne on strong branches [7].

Although geographically isolated, nine Coulter pine populations were
very similar in all of three morphological characteristics studies.
Oleoresins (volatile portion) were also similar [55].


RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Phanerophyte


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
Coulter pine first bears cones at 10 to 15 years of age [7,31,38].  The
interval between good seed crops is 3 to 6 years [31].  Cones may
persist up to 5 or 6 years [31,41].  Seed dispersal is limited due to
the large size of seed.  Seed viability is generally high.  Seedling
establishment is best on mineral soil in full sun.  Early growth is
rapid [7,23,31,38].  (See the Fire Ecology frame for a discussion of the
role of fire in Coulter pine regeneration.)


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
Coulter pine occurs in a mediterranean climate.  Winter rains are
infrequent, and the summer is dry with occasional summer thunderstorms
[37,40,52].  

Coulter pine is most frequent on steep south-facing slopes and ridges
[4,22,52].  Soils may be poor to fertile, and are typically dry.
Coulter pine is an indicator of serpentine soils, but also occurs on a
variety of other substrates.  Soils range from loamy to gravelly or
rocky in texture [22,29,30].  Coulter pine occurs between 500 to 7,000
feet (150-2,120 m) elevation [47,55].


SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
Facultative Seral Species

Coulter pine occurs in both initial communities and later seres.  Stands
are often even-aged, establishing after fire [7,18,39].  Mature Coulter
pine is shade intolerant [2], but seedlings can grow in partial shade
[7,23].

At higher elevations of the Coast Ranges, Coulter pine sometimes
replaces blue oak (Quercus douglasii) [3].


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
Coulter pine cones open for pollination in May and June [31,41,50].
Cones ripen in August and September of the second year following
pollination [29,31,50].  Mature cones may open at or soon after
maturity, slowly over a several-year peroid, or only after fire,
depending upon ecotype.  Cones of nonserotinous ecotypes open and
disperse seed from October through Novermber [7,31,37].

Related categories for Species: Pinus coulteri | Coulter Pine