Unfortunately, no photos, but there are two five-needle pines on the promenade at Davis Bay near the south end. The cones and needles look like Whitebark pine, but sea level is a long way from 5,000 feet. I'd be very surprised if they are native. There aren't any others like it anywhere that I could see. Can anybody from the area tell me what they are? Seeds are in my fridge doing their best to germinate. Carl
Cones and needles are longer but 'Vanderwolf's Pyramid' limber pine is common in local plantings. There are also a small number of limber pines of more northerly type, with less bluish foliage and vigorous growth known from Seattle plantings. And whitebark pine is not impossible, as at least one is known to be living in a cemetary near Seattle. It appears to have been wild-collected along with other subalpine native conifers.
There used to be a Whitebark Pine at near sea level in Kew Gardens (London), before it expired from blister rust. Another possibility is Pinus cembra. Are the needles smooth, or slightly rough-edged? Best way to test is to run a needle tip-to-base along your lips. And what size are the cones, and did they open naturally, or did you have to pull them apart to get the seeds out? Pics for comparison here: http://www.pinetum.org/cones/PNStrobus.htm (scroll to bottom of page for P. albicaulis and P. cembra).
Quite a few of those planted here, too, and they would be more similar to the whitebark pine in cone appearance than the limber pine.
Definitely not Pinus cembra, unless the two growing in my yard were sold to me under false pretenses. The walk on the promenade caught me without a camera, and the family gathering prevented my return. This was back in August. As I recall, the cones were about 3 inches or a little bit more long, quite round, and partially open. The seeds (now in my fridge) are about the same size as Limber pine. I can't remember what the bark looked like. Needles were short like Limber pine, and again I can't remember colour variation. I never thought about a lip test. My sister lives a few miles north of Sechelt, but if I said the word "pine" to her she might well point to the cedar in her front yard. I'll see if I can get her to email me a photo for you to work with. Meantime, thanks for your help.
Another good candidate. In addition to being planted comparatively often that one also tends to cone abundantly and conspicuously here.
I think you've found it for me. Googled a photo and it looks like the one. I'll still get my sister to take some photos for you to check. Goyo-matsu, Japanese White Pine, my wife's family used to "own" a mountain in Itoshima prefecture where her great grandfather planted a bunch of them, and a cousin built a house using the timber. Thanks you guys. Carl goyo-matsu simply means five-needle pine
