Ghost Pine | Mini-Grow Kit

Ghost Pine (Pinus sabiniana), also called Gray Pine, Bull Pine, and Foothill Pine, is a medium-sized tree native to the foothill woodlands and chaparrals of California’s Sierra Nevada and Coast Ranges — a true Golden State endemic. It is often associated with Blue Oak, Valley Oak, and Interior Live Oak, with which it forms a habitat characteristic of the California chaparral and woodlands ecoregion: a sparse over story above a canopy of the oak woodland. A drought-resistant, shade-intolerant species, Ghost Pine prefers well-draining soils and a Mediterranean-like climate — hot, dry, summers and cool, wet winters.

Mature trees, living for up to 200 years, measure from 40 to 80 feet tall and 12 to 36 inches across at the base. The crown is open with sparse foliage, the trunks leaning and crooked. Its tendency to self-prune means branching usually begins high up on the stem. Needles are grayish-green, hanging loosely in bundles of three, and can reach up to 17 inches in length. Cones are mostly symmetrical, egg-shaped, and 6 to 10 inches long with massive flat “claws” on their scales — the largest cones of any conifer in northwestern California. Bark is dark-gray with irregular fissures.

One naturalist noted that from a distance, the silvery needles of the Ghost Pine appear to shimmer, ghost-like, out of California’s hot, dry chaparrals. Similarly, the foliage, which hangs loosely about the tree’s tilted, dark trunk, is often described as wispy and ghostly.

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Growing a tree from seed is a magical and fascinating experience for people of all ages. Our 100% guaranteed Grow Kits provide everything you need to germinate some of the world’s largest and most interesting tree species from seed — seeds, growing medium, a mini-greenhouse, and detailed instructions, which lead you through the whole process, from cold-stratifying your seeds to germination and transplanting.

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If your seed fails to germinate or your seedling perishes, we are happy to provide free replacement seed. We encourage all customers experiencing difficulties growing their trees to contact us through our toll-free “Tree Help Line” (1-888-387-3379).