Also known as Norway pine
Contact your local forestry field office before collecting to confirm whether there is still a need, get collection tips, or ask about potential collection locations and opportunities. Be sure to check regulations and follow safe practices. Access current seed and cone pricing.
Cone identification
Ripe cones are about 2 inches long, light brownish purple, and teardrop shaped.
Predicted collection window: September to late October.
Ripe red pine cones that are ready to harvest are 2 to 3 inches long, reddish brown, and free of damage.
How to collect ripe cones
Collect only closed, ripe cones that are 2 to 3 inches long, reddish brown, and free of damage.
Only collect from trees in forested areas, not from yard, park, or landscape trees.
Hand-pick cones. You can use clippers to snip unopened cones at the base of the branch.
You may collect from felled trees or squirrel caches only if cone is closed and with no insect damage.
Perform a quality check: slice a few cones in half to see if they contain at least four seeds per cone.
Mature seed should be light brown, firm, and not milky.
Do not collect cones that are green, already open, have insect holes or are oozing pine pit.
Quick tree identification
Red pine needles are long, generally 4 to 6 inches, in bundles of two. They break cleanly when bent.
Red pine bark is reddish brown with a straight trunk. Bark divides into large, reddish-brown plates as the tree matures.
Forecasting
Big cone crops occur every three to seven years.
Cones take two years to fully mature. Immature cones or conelets are small and purple.
Current-year cones are green to purplish and about half their full size early in the season. They turn brown as they ripen. Look for them starting in May, with final confirmation that they are maturing in late-June to prepare for fall collection.
Handling and storage
Store cones in a cool, dry area to reduce mold and prevent opening. Cones can open quickly in humidity and release seeds.
Deliver them to a forestry area office as soon as possible. Contact your local forestry field office to schedule a drop-off.
Do not collect red pine cones that are green, already open, have insect holes or are oozing pine pit.
Look-alike species to avoid
🚫 Scotch pine has flaky orange bark and tends to grow in a wavy fashion. Needles in bundles of two are shorter than red pine, at 1 to 3 inches.
🚫 Austrian pine tends to be stockier and is more common in urban plantings. Needles in bundles of two do not snap cleanly when bent unless frozen solid.
🚫 Ponderosa pine has lower branches with cones that are easier to collect. Needles in bundles of three are significantly longer and arranged in bunches of three. Cones are also larger and prickly.