Unique Features: The South Western White is more adapted to the hotter and drier conditions of the South West.  Its natural range extends from the higher elevations of Chihuahua, Mexico to the south west corner of Colorado, U.S.A.  Growing in this environment this pine obviously has superior heat and drought tolerance but it is fairly adaptable to moister conditions and can be found along waterways.  The long, 2’’ to 4’’, soft needles are held in bundles of 5 and have a soft blue green sheen.  It is quite similar to the Vanderwolfe pine, a cultivar of Limber pine, but on a larger scale.  The South Western pine also has large, up 10’’, long cones.  These large cones can also produce edible seeds. The younger trees are dense and pyramidal with light grey bark becoming more open and irregular as they age.