← Growing the Magic

Bristlecone Pine

The Aurelia Batch

Pinus aristata · NM Carson National Forest · 2022 Crop

Planting Year 2026
Seeds Planted 400
Target Trees 50
Provenance Carson NF, NM
Germination 97%
🏔
The story behind the batch

The Mountain Princess

Aurelia is our mountain princess. Strong-willed, fiercely independent, and impossible to contain, she meets life with laughter, determination, and a little bit of mischief.

Raegan — whose middle name is Aurelia — has the kind of personality that fills a room before she walks in. She has never met a challenge she couldn't face head-on, and she has never needed anyone's permission to be exactly who she is.

Bristlecone Pines are among the toughest trees on Earth. They thrive in the highest, harshest alpine zones — rocky slopes above the treeline where the wind is constant, the soil is thin, and the winters are brutal. Most trees cannot survive there. Bristlecones do not merely survive — they become ancient.

Like Aurelia, they are resilient, wild-hearted, and beautifully themselves. The oldest living Bristlecone Pine is over 5,000 years old. This batch was planted in her name to grow for centuries after both of us are gone.

Know the tree

Bristlecone Pine — Pinus aristata

The Rocky Mountain Bristlecone Pine is one of the most extraordinary trees on Earth — ancient, resilient, and native to the high Colorado mountains.

Common Name
Rocky Mountain Bristlecone Pine · Colorado Bristlecone Pine · Foxtail Pine
Scientific Name
Pinus aristata
Native Range
High mountains of Colorado, northern New Mexico, and isolated peaks in Arizona. Typically 8,000–12,000 ft elevation.
Growth Rate
Extremely slow — among the slowest of any tree. Often only inches per year at high elevation.
Longevity
Among the longest-lived trees on Earth. Some individuals exceed 2,000 years. Great Basin relatives exceed 5,000 years.
Identifying Features
5 needles per bundle. White resin flecks on needles (the "dandruff" pattern). Dark purple-brown cones with distinctive bristle-like prickles.
Wildlife Value
Seeds eaten by Clark's Nutcrackers, which are critical to natural regeneration. Provides shelter for high-alpine wildlife.
Bonsai Value
Extremely prized among bonsai collectors worldwide. Slow growth, ancient character, and gnarled form make it one of the most sought-after bonsai species.
Our Seed Source
Carson National Forest, New Mexico · 2022 crop · 97% germination (actual test) · Sheffield's Seed Company
At a glance

Batch Statistics

400
Seeds Planted
97%
Germination Rate
50
Target Field Trees
2022
Seed Crop Year
7,000ft
Grow Elevation
—
Survival Rate (pending)
The journey

Batch Timeline

June 2026

Seeds acquired from Sheffield's Seed Co. — Carson National Forest, NM. 97% germination confirmed. 400 seeds ordered.

Summer 2026

24-hour water soak. Seeds sown 1/8" deep in 72-cell star plug flats. Garage germination station activated.

Fall 2026

Expected: First germination. True needles emerging. Transplant to conetainers begins for strongest seedlings.

Spring 2027

Expected: Hardening off. Move to outdoor grow yard at Pine, CO property at 7,000 ft elevation.

2028 – 2029

Expected: Field planting at the future Sorellendipity Farms property. The Aurelia Batch takes root permanently.

2045+

Ancient, gnarled, irreplaceable. The Aurelia Batch will still be growing long after any of us can imagine.

Ongoing record

Batch Journal

Entries will be added as this batch grows through its seasons.

June 2026
Seeds Acquired

400 Bristlecone Pine seeds from Carson National Forest, NM. Crop year 2022, actual germination test at 97%. Seeds are large, clean, and stored in cool dry conditions until sowing. The 24-hour water soak will precede direct sowing — no cold stratification required.

Coming
First Germination

This entry will be written when the first Aurelia Batch seedling emerges. Sign up for updates to be notified.

All Batches