Making a Piñon Pinecone Wreath 

By Kathy Sadowski, MS in Aromatherapy, RA, LMT 

In Santa Fe New Mexico, the piñon pine (Pinus edulis) tree is resilient and bountiful. It prospers in the dry, high-altitude climate and, for hundreds of years, Native Americans have used this valuable botanical for medicinal purposes and nourishment.   

This year, Santa Fe received a lot of rain, and the piñon (Pinus edulis) trees replied with much gratitude. Their branches were densely filled with cones. Locals celebrated and could be seen all over town gently shaking the branches and collecting the delicious pine (Pinus spp.) nuts that fell out from the tree’s little cones.  

Post harvest, hundreds of cute little cones were left behind, blanketing the earth below each piñon (Pinus edulis) tree. 

This article will provide some fun facts about the piñon pine (Pinus edulis) and show you how to make a pinecone wreath. 

Piñon Pine  

The pinyon or piñon pine (Pinus edulis) is the official state tree of New Mexico. It grows throughout the Southwestern United States, including Colorado, Arizona, and Utah.   

Other common names for this tree are the two-needle pine or nut pine.   

The tree grows well in the Santa Fe high mountain dry climate, requiring only 10-12 inches of rain per year.1 

Its habitat is the sunny semi-desert pinyon-juniper woodlands, with elevations of 4,000 to 8,000 feet, and it can handle a hot summer and a cold snowy winter.2 

Piñon (Pinus edulis) is a slow growing and long living tree and can live up to 1,000 years!3 Slow and steady, this tree does not produce cones until it is about twenty-five years old, and the cones do not produce seeds until it is at least seventy-five years old!2 

It grows 32-65 feet tall with a trunk up to thirty-one inches in diameter. The bark is grey and dark brown, and it becomes deeply furrowed as the tree ages. This bushy tree has two needles in a fascicle, each needle being 0.6 – 2.0 inches long. Its small round pinecones are about one to two inches in length.4 

A variety of bird species take cover in the tree’s thick-needled branches, especially the pinyon jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus), who enjoys eating its pine (Pinus edulis) nuts.1 Other bird species often seen in the trees include the Clark’s nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana), Steller’s jay (Cyanocitta stelleri), and the Mexican jay (Aphelocoma wollweberi).2 The birds help to spread the tree’s nut seeds and grow new trees.2 

Traditionally, Ute Indian tribes and locals have gathered the pine (Pinus edulis) nuts for eating.4,5 The sap has been historically used as an adhesive, for waterproofing, and to mend cracks in dishes.3 The needles have been collected for their antiseptic qualities.3 

The aromatic piñon (Pinus edulis) wood is considered the best wood for burning in chimineas because of its high heat value and pleasurable scent.2,3 

Pine Nut Gathering 

Piñon (Pinus edulis) produces edible nuts popular in Southwestern United States and Mediterranean cuisine. Each pinyon (Pinus edulis) pinecone contains ten to thirty pine nut seeds which are high in fat and have a delicious nutty, evergreen taste.   

Nuts contain 3,000 calories per pound and are rich in monounsaturated fat protein, vitamin E, calcium, zinc, iron, and magnesium.4 The nuts are used to make candies, coffee, or can be eaten raw or roasted as a nutty snack. 

In 2024, Santa Fe, New Mexico had abundant rain, and the piñon pines (Pinus edulis) were covered in cones. This is worth celebrating, as substantial cone growth and resulting seed crops happen just once every 4-7 years.4   

Locals could be seen along roadsides, in parks, and in their yards gathering pine (Pinus edulis) nuts for a delicious treat. It is a traditional food that has long been cherished by local Native Americans and Hispanics.5 It is worth the effort to gather the seeds, as today they can be sold for about $35 per pound.3 

Making a Pinecone Wreath 

Whether you use Piñon (Pinus edulis) cones, or the cones from another pine (Pinus spp.) tree, making a pinecone wreath is easy to do and naturally beautiful. Plus, you can use an essential oil room spray to re-scent the cones. Below are the step-by-step procedures for making your wreath. 

Equipment Needed: 

Cleaned pinecones (about a 3-gallon bucketful for a 16-inch round wreath) 

Glue gun and glue sticks 

Foam wreath form or alternative (about 12-inch diameter) 

Optional: Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) sticks and other potpourri pieces 

Optional: Flameless candle votives 

To Make: 

Gather cones. Gather respectfully, following local gathering rules. If you gather cones from outdoors, soak the cones in vinegar water for twenty-four hours. Use half water and half vinegar and soak the cones in a bucket for cleaning. You can also lay the cones out on a cookie sheet and bake them in the oven at 250˚F for forty-five minutes. 

Have a plan. Set out all of your pinecones and potpourri for designing your wreath. 

Warm up the glue gun.   

Begin gluing items to the wreath form. Avoid skin contact with the hot glue.  Note: If you do not have a foam wreath form, you can gather three similar sized sticks and wire them together to form a triangle, or four similar sized sticks and wire them together to form a square.    

Keep gluing items onto your wreath until you are happy with the way it looks. 

Pine Fresh Room Spray 

You will need one 3-oz. spray bottle to make this blend. 

Ingredients: 

1-oz. vodka or Everclear alcohol 

1.5-oz. water 

1 tsp. vegetable glycerin 

1 tsp. dish detergent 

Essential Oils: 

6 drops evergreen essential oil such as Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris) 

To Make: Pour the vodka and water into the bottle. Add the vegetable glycerin, dish detergent, and essential oil. Screw on the top and shake well.   

To Use: Spray onto potpourri, such as a pinecone wreath, or spray a few pumps around a room to freshen the air. Avoid spraying in close proximity to animals or young children. Avoid topical contact. Avoid spraying onto furniture. Flammable. 

References 

Santa Fe Extension Master Gardeners. Piñon Pine (Pinus edulis). Retrieved on 10/30/2024 from: https://www.sfemg.org/santa-fe-extension-master-gardener/pinon-pine-pinus-edulis  

USDA Forest Service. (n.d.). Pinyon.  Retrieved on 10/30/24 from: https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/misc/ag_654/volume_1/pinus/edulis.htm   

What Trees Where. (2/28/2021). Piñon Pine: Tastiest tree in the Southwest.  Retrieved on 10/30/2024 from: https://whattreewhere.com/2021/02/28/pinon-pine-tastiest-tree-in-the-southwest/  

National Park Service. (2/24/2015). Pinyon Pine (Pinus edulis).  Retrieved on 10/30/2024 from: https://www.nps.gov/colm/learn/nature/pinyon-pine-tree.htm  

Dodd, Cormac.  (2024).  Piñon pickers hailing bountiful harvest in Northern New Mexico. Santa Fe New Mexican. Retrieved on 10/30/2024 from: https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/pi-on-pickers-hailing-bountiful-harvest-in-northern-new-mexico/article_d496fea2-769f-11ef-a949-53fdf341b870.html  

About Kathy Sadowski: 

Kathy Sadowski has a Master of Science degree in aromatherapy from the American College of Healthcare Sciences. With a passion for reading scientific studies on herbs and essential oils, she has developed the website www.EarthtoKathy.com, which categorizes 4,000 plus scientific research articles on plants by species, therapeutic action, and constituent. The goal is to demonstrate a growing amount of evidence for the potential healthful uses of herbs and essential oils.  Kathy is a professional member of NAHA and AIA, a Registered Aromatherapist (ARC), licensed massage therapist, and enthusiast for environmental protection and a natural lifestyle. To learn more about Kathy visit EarthtoKathy.com.