bristlecone pine

noun

1. a pine, Pinus aristata, of the southwestern U.S., bearing short needles crowded into long, thick bundles and cones having scales tipped with a slender, curved spine.

bristlecone pine

/ ˈbrɪsəlˌkəʊn /

noun

1. a coniferous tree, Pinus aristata , of the western US, bearing cones with bristle-like prickles: one of the longest-lived trees, useful in radiocarbon dating

Word History and Origins

Origin of bristlecone pine¹

An Americanism dating back to 1890–95; bristle + cone

Example Sentences

The park offers ancient bristlecone pine forests, incredible night skies, scenic foothills covered in sagebrush, the stunning 13,063-foot Wheeler Peak and the mysterious Lehman Caves.

From Seattle Times

In Death Valley, one of the places feeling the change most acutely is Telescope Peak, the highest point in the park that is home to its population of ancient bristlecone pine trees.

From Los Angeles Times

Officially, the oldest tree on Earth is Methuselah, a bristlecone pine of the species Pinus longaeva in the Inyo National Forest of California that is at least 4,789 years old, according to the U.S.

From Scientific American

And Methuselah, a bristlecone pine in east-central California that is believed to be a stunning 4,855 years old, is generally considered the oldest living tree in the world.

From New York Times

Stories of a curse began after several bristlecone pine researchers, Schulman included, died young.

From Washington Post