Pinus gerardiana Wall. ex D.Don

Native Information

Native to Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Tibet.

Habitat

Habit

The trees are 15–25 metres (49–82 ft) tall with usually deep, wide and open crowns with long, erect branches. However, crowns are narrower and shallower in dense forests. The bark is very flaky, peeling to reveal light greyish-green patches. The branchlets are smooth and olive-green.Since their seeds do not have a wing capable of enabling effective dispersal by wind, the seeds of P. gerardiana are dispersed by birds.The Eurasian nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes subsp. multipunctata) is one such species that does so.

Uses

Chilgoza pine nuts are rich in carbohydrates and proteins.Chilghoza seeds, or pine nuts, are harvested for consumption in autumn and early winter by knocking the cones off of the trees. he seeds are locally referred to and marketed as "chilgoza", "neja" (singular) or "neje" (plural). Chilghoza is one of the most important cash crops of Afganistan as well as of Kinnaur and Pangi Valley of Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh, India. They are sold at approximately $20–$53 per kilograms in India.

Seed

Fruit

Leaves