Information on Pinecones

Girl holding a female pine cone

A stroll through an evergreen forest can prove to be a goldmine for pinecone hunters. Pinecones are often used in crafts and decorations but many people know very little about them. Aside from their use by humans, pinecones serve a specific purpose for the trees producing them.

Growth

Pinecones are the reproductive structures of conifers. Trees produce male and female pinecones, with the female pinecones growing larger and living longer than the male cones.

Male Cones

Male cones form in clusters on the tree. They live only for a few weeks before dying off. The small scales of male pinecones produce pollen sacs containing sperm cells. After the pollen is released and carried off by the wind, the male pinecones die and fall off the tree.

Female Cones

Female cones are the larger pinecones that are often collected and used for craft projects. These pinecones feature scales that contain an ovule with an egg cell. The pollen blown from the male cone enters the female cone and fertilizes the egg to produce a seed. The scales of the female cone spread, which allows the seed to fall.

References

• Glendale Community College: Pine