Big Pine Cones = Big Pine Pollen

Check out this HUGE Coulter pine’s pollen catkin! The Coulter’s pine pollen must be massive!

The Coulter pine (Pinus coulteri) can be found in southern US an Northern Mexico. The species is named after Thomas Coulter, an Irish botanist and physician. The Coulter pine produces the heaviest cone of any pine tree. Although it has a limited range in the wild, it is a popular ornamental tree.

The Coulter pine is closely related to the Ponderosa Pine. Coulter pine tend to grow in drier, more mountainous regions than Ponderosa. The Canadian Pine Pollen Company harvests their pure pine pollen from Ponderosa plantations throughout British Columbia, Canada.

The exceptional characteristic of this tree is the large, spiny cones, weighing 5-10lbs. when fresh! Coulter pines produce the largest cones of any pine tree species. The large size of the cones has even earned the Coulter pine cones the nickname "widowmakers" among locals in Southern California.