Well, if no one here can help you, you can always go to Ebay. There are some there, just do a search.

Out of curiosity, what's it for?

Resin

I just think it would be amazing to have a pine cone that big. It would look great in my living room.
Terry

Do you live in Arizona?

If so, you are possibly near Coulter pine country.

Why not collect one in the wild yourself? See some gorgeous country at the same time.

Much more satisfying then to simply buy one.

I live in NC. I would love to collect one in the wild. Maybe get on I 40 and go West. That would be great. But making a living is keeping me from making a 5000 to 6000 mile round trip for now. So unless a larger cone shows up I'll try eBay.
Terry

Terry:

I have a couple of big beautiful ones that I got in the Angeles National Forest when I was a student at UCLA in the '60's. I love them--they are the most spectacular pine cone I know (resin, do you know of any others bigger or heavier, with such amazing spines??).

Anyway, I sympathize, but I can't (won't) help. I love mine too much. I have the biggest on a shelf in our "office," along with the biggest sugar pine cone I found in all my years of hiking in the Sierras. But the coulter pine come is the most amazing.

Get any one you can, but they vary a lot in size. I don't have it with me now--I am at my timberland--but mine is about the size of a football, although at the widest part probably a bit thicker, and of course the stem end is very broad. Mine is not quite complete--to collect a complete cone you have to climb a tree and cut one down, and that is not easy--they are typically only near the branch ends on the upper part of the tree. Typically they only fall from a tree when the cone breaks just past the stem, leaving a few scales--at least that seemed to be the case where I was collecting.

Anyway, if you find any to buy, check carefully on the size--I think the largest should be about 12 inches or longer--I can't remember exactly how large mine is. It may be a bit longer. But it is just plain massive and heavy, like it was made of some kind of strong wood.

I just Googled Coulter pine cone and there is a place that sells pine cones--conesdirect.com. Good luck!

--Spruce

Yep, it's the heaviest pine cone. Sugar Pine cones get longer (I've got one 53cm long), but they're lightweight.

Correct about having to climb to get a complete cone, they leave the basal scales on the tree when they finally drop.

One thing to watch for, particularly with old cones off the ground, they may have woodworm infestations.

Resin

tripler:

I think I should give you a bit or a warning about these cones if you are going to buy one. Some of them out there may not be fully mature cones (harvested when still green, perhaps from cut down trees). In my search I found two pictures, this first one is of a really, really large and fully mature one (also, by the way, a complete one). See how the scales are fully open. Here is the link:

http://waynesword.palomar.edu/coulter1.htm

But other cones have been harvested when still green and not fully mature. For a picture of that kind of cone, here is another link:

http://moonstarsandpaper.blogspot.com/2006/12/amazing-coulter-pinecone.html

Notice how, especially at the tip, the cone scales are not completely open. This one is not bad--I have seen worse. Also, the overall shape of this second immature cone is a bit different from the fully mature one in the first picture. Try to get one more like the first picture here--this is how they really look when fully mature.

--Spruce

Thanks Spruceman. The pics are helpful. In my mind I'm expecting a cone like the first pic.
I found one on eBay. It's got some coating on it that is listed as a nature glaze. The right side seems to need support from a blue cup.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Two-beautiful-Coulter-pine-cones_W0QQitemZ220236025084QQihZ012QQcategoryZ103479QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting
I think I'll pass on it.
Terry

Spruceman, I got a medium size (still 8" long & massive) Coulter cone driving in Californy. Kept it on a shelf for 8 yrs, and then noticed seeds still in it, put them in the frig & planted the next spring. 3 of 10 sprouted! One even survived the next winter, continued growing that spring, only to be eaten by deer.

beng:

Wow--I would never have thought about growing a coulter pine here. I wonder if I could find some seedlings somewhere. Or some seeds.

Sometimes trees can grow in environments drastically different from their native environments. The most drmatic case I know is the bald cypress, native to southern swamps, although I think getting into areas as far north as southern Illinios, but, surprizingly, growing very, very well on well-drained soils at least as far north as central Michigan, and I think much farther.

--Spruce

"It's got some coating on it that is listed as a nature glaze"

That means the natural resin on the scales has been melted with a hot air fan heater, to give a glossy coating.

Resin

Resin,

If you see this, is there a pine species anywhere in the world having more massive cones than the Coulter?

p.s That Sugar pine cone of 53 cm must be amazing. I've got one on my fireplace mantle a little over 15 inches. On my next trip to Yosemite I'm now compelled to find one to beat yours, lol.

Gary

Nope, P. coulteri is the heaviest. Next is P. maximartinezii, and then probably in order P. sabineana, P. gerardiana, P. roxburghii and P. torreyana.

A freshly ripe, closed P. lambertiana cone before it dries out and sheds its seeds is also pretty heavy though.

Resin

I live in Lake Arrowhead, CA, every year there is a contest to see who can find the largest Coulter Pinecone (also know as the widow maker pine cone because you don’t want to be hit in the head when one falls , they can weigh as much as 25 lb. ) they need to be baked in an oven on a cookie sheet with foil lining to cook the creepy crawlers and the sap out of them so they last longer. Try putting an add in the Mountain News if your looking to purchase one, or you could come see our spectacular community. Hope this helps