With prickly cones & branches dense with needles - that have white dots of resin - they grow 7,500 ft. to treeline & give gnarled testimony to the harsh weather & their great age - 5,000 years old. They & Creosote Bush are among the oldest living creatures. Wonderful bonsai to 30 ft. No pretreatment necessary though cold stratification for 1 month may help. Zone 2