In North America, the main species producing pine nuts are:

• Colorado Pinyon (Pinus edulis)
• Single-leaf Pinyon (Pinus monophylla)
• Mexican Pinyon (Pinus cembroides)
• Gray Pine (Pinus sabineana)
• Torrey Pine (Pinus torreyana)
• Sugar Pine (Pinus lambertiana)

Pine nuts contain about 31 grams of protein per 100 grams of nuts, the highest of any nut or seed.

Pine nuts usually ripen in August and September and fall a month or two later.  They are ready to harvest as soon as the kernels loosen and fall.

Indians put the green pine cones onto firepits and roasted them until the nuts fell out.  Pine nuts are delicious raw or toasted.

When first extracted from the pine cone, pine nuts are covered with a hard shell (seed coat).  Unshelled pine nuts have a long shelf life if kept dry and refrigerated, but the shell must be removed before the nut is eaten.  Shelled nuts and unshelled nuts in warm conditions deteriorate rapidly, becoming rancid within a few weeks or even days when the humidity is high.

The harvest of sugar pine cones is prohibited in Sequoia Park because it is the main food source for squirrels, chipmunks and other small critters.  When harvesting from other areas, keep this in mind and leave some of the bounty for the little ones.

HoodaThunk's Patagonia Outdoor Gear

If you have found the information helpful in my Guide, please rate it with a yes vote.