Texas Natives – October, 2007

Winter is an excellent time to appreciate evergreen trees in the landscape and explore new plant possibilities when space allows. Texas pinyon (Pinus remota), a native pine well-adapted to heat, drought and alkaline soil, is a unique plant worthy of consideration. Also known as remote pinyon or papershell pinyon, these slow-growing trees vary in height from 25 to 70 feet. A dense, upright, pyramidal form, soft, rich-green needles, and small, reddish-brown cones are some of the admired landscape attributes of Texas pinyon. Another attraction is the delectable pinyon nut, prized by people and wildlife alike. For many gardeners in Texas far removed from the Pineywoods of East Texas, the Texas pinyon fulfills a beautiful evergreen niche in the garden.

For more on this plant, and to see what’s happening at Texas Discovery Gardens this month, go to
http://www.texasdiscoverygardens.org/texasnatives.htm.

About the author: Tina Dombrowski is the Director of Horticulture at Texas Discovery Gardens at Fair Park, Dallas. She has a particular interest in Texas native plants, butterflies, pollinating insects and their interconnected histories.