Pinus aristata ambig.

Rocky Mountains bristlecone pine

A slow-growing pine able to reach 15m (50ft) when mature, although usually smaller, with a strongly tapering trunk, often twisted with age bearing grey to reddish-brown strongly fissured bark and a flat, irregularly shaped canopy. The trees are capable of reaching a very great age in habitat and can be among the oldest living things on earth. The evergreen, deep blue-green needles are produced in groups of five and up to 4cm (1½in) long. They are persistent and can live up to 17 years. The purple to brown roughly cylindrical cones take two years to mature and are soon shed after dispersing their seeds