Whitebark Pine

Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) is a high-elevation conifer of the subalpine and treeline zones in Banff National Park. Listed as endangered in Canada; its seeds are a critical food for Clark’s nutcracker and grizzly bears.

Identification: Stunted, often multi-trunked; gray, scaly bark; needles in fives (like limber pine); purple cones that do not open on the tree; seeds dispersed by nutcrackers. Cones are wingless; nutcrackers cache seeds, and forgotten caches germinate.

Habitat: Upper subalpine and treeline (2,000–2,400 m); often in open, wind-scoured sites. Grows with subalpine fir, Engelmann spruce, and subalpine larch.

Conservation: Threatened by white pine blister rust (introduced fungus), mountain pine beetle, and climate change. Parks Canada and partners conduct restoration; planting rust-resistant seedlings. Do not disturb whitebark pine; collection of cones or seeds is prohibited.