Limber Pine earns its name from the remarkable flexibility of its young branches, which can be bent nearly double without breaking — an adaptation to heavy snow loads at subalpine elevations. It is a high-elevation, five-needled pine that forms the tree line on many Rocky Mountain peaks. Like Whitebark Pine, it depends heavily on Clark's Nutcrackers for seed dispersal. The trees grow extremely slowly in harsh conditions but can live over 1,000 years, and dead snags persist for centuries.
Habitat
Subalpine ridges, rocky slopes, and timberline habitats from Alberta to New Mexico in the Rocky Mountains.
Diet
Wingless seeds cached and dispersed by Clark's nutcrackers; seeds also consumed by red squirrels and black bears.
How common
Uncommon
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