Replies

Are those the ones with the bark that smells vaguely of butterscotch? I remember when hiking in the San Jacintos near Idyllwild, I saw large stands of dead conifers up on the ridges. Are these the ones that have succumbed to bark beetles? And is it just the Jeffrey Pines? When I hiked through that area I remember someone mentioning a pest killing trees. Until that point I just thought the trees were dying as part of a natural cycle.

Having hiked through the burn zone south of Mount Laguna, which lasted at least 15 hiking miles, I have a profound respect for the damage wildfire can do.

Yes, the Jeffrey Pine. Huge pine cones that almost knock you out if they hit you when they fall.

I flew over the SBNF a month ago and the whole forest is dead or dying from the beetle. Sad to see but now it will be time for a rebirth of the forest.

Yes, the Jeffrey Pine. Huge pine cones that almost knock you out if they hit you when they fall.

You've confused the 'gentle Jeffrey' with another yellow pine. The Jeffrey Pines are those with the butterscotch scented bark. They have moderately small, unprickly cones. The similar Ponderosa Pines have prickly cones. "Gentle Jeffrey, Prickly Ponderosa."

Coulter Pines have huge cones, the heaviest in the world, with very nasty spikes on them. They are unforgettable. One of those hitting you from a height of 30' would do serious damage.

All three of these pines have been hit hard by the drought and beetle infestation.