Why our pine tree is no longer producing pine cones

[Elliot]

Although this is not an edible item, we use the pine cones to make things around the holiday season in December. For the past two years neither large pine tree has produced pine cones. What might be the cause of this?

[BigBrownDogHouse]

Originally Posted by Elliot

Although this is not an edible item, we use the pine cones to make things around the holiday season in December. For the past two years neither large pine tree has produced pine cones. What might be the cause of this?

Hello!
Do you know what kind of pine tree it is?
Spruce, Austrian, White Pine, Red Pine, etc?
I have White's that sometimes skip years. Also some 15 year old Spruce trees that have never produced cones. Heavy Austrian years and lighter years.....

[PaulF]

I understand that many pine trees have cycles of dropping needles and production of more or fewer cones. I think the needle cycle is about three years but I don't know the cone cycle.

Cones are the reproductive organs of a pine tree; some are male and some are female. Under certain conditions that put stress on a tree, it will not produce cones in a stressful year. That stress can be caused by temperature fluctuations or drought conditions or lots of other things. Maybe that is the cause. I'll bet next year will be gangbusters for cones.

[Elliot]

This summer was a weather stressful year. We did have record heat in our area. In the beginning of the season there were what looked like pine cones but they never developed into pin cones. The green precursors fell off of the trees.

[BigBrownDogHouse]

This is kind of interesting.
I have done some researching on the web and answers are all over the place.
One so called expert says one thing, the next says the complete opposite.

I have found a few sources that say there will be swing years of very heavy productions.
I'd love to know.
I have a bunch of pine trees all over the front and backyard. Two trees immediately come to mind.....I have two Austrian pines in my backyard. One on each side. One tree dumps bushels and bushels of pine cones.
On the other hand, the other Austrian only seems to produce a handful every year.

Hope someone knows!

[Elliot]

Two years ago we gathered bushels of pine cones. The last two years there were none.

[LuvsToPlant]

Originally Posted by Elliot

Although this is not an edible item, we use the pine cones to make things around the holiday season in December. For the past two years neither large pine tree has produced pine cones. What might be the cause of this?

Hello Elliot..I see you are from the northeast a good possibility you have a white pine ( Pinus strobus). If you have had pine cones in the past it is a good possibility that it could be the "white pine beetle" (Conophthorus coniperda)
if you are experiencing no cones at all.
Check with you Cooperative Extention Service for your area...
They can tell you if there has been a problem with the beetle in your area and
what possible steps you can take.