Common Names
Apache Pine, Arizona Longleaf Pine

Habitat
Madrean Sky Island Oak-Pine and Pine-Oak woodlands and forests, occasionally along riparian areas. Elevation range from 5000' to 9100', however that may be a Mexican upper limit and it is likely not found often above 8000' in the US. A few examples exist along the Crest Trail in the Santa Rita Mountains.

Flowers
Pine Stobili.

Description
A medium-sized tree, mature heights of 50'- 80', smaller at the lower elevation end; trunk diameter of 14"-32"; leaves are needle like, 8"-16" long, among the longest of any pine, and are in bundles of three (occasionally five); twigs are very stout, and spreading to slightly drooping. Crown has an open appearance.

DistributionApache pine has a very limited distribution in the United States. It occurs in the Chiricahua, Huachuca, Dragoon, and Santa Rita mountains of Arizona and in one area of extreme southwestern New Mexico. The main part of its range is in Mexico. Apache pine occurs commonly in the Sierra Madre Occidental in Mexico.

Comments
Apache Pine was sometimes treated as a variety of Ponderosa Pine in the past, but it is now universally regarded as a distinct species. A special request would be for hikers in old Mexico to get some photos of the tree and it's habitat down there.