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Collecting Wild Pines in California: Legality and Seed Germination

Pinon Hills, CA resident asks: legal to dig baby pines from mountains? Seed germination timeline?

Legality

Illegal without landowner permission (most mountain land = public/private, not open). Contact CA Forestry or landowner. Nurseries sell legal, adapted stock.

Seed Germination

Rate: 75–80% viable.
Method: seed tray, starter soil, 1″ apart, plastic cover, warm/sunny.
Transplant to pots at 1–2″ height.
Plant out at 6–12″ (few years).
Weed control critical until trees overtop competition.

Buy seedlings—faster, legal, adapted.

Conifers: Diagnosing and Treating Browning Fraser Firs and Cedar Trees; Phototropic Lean in Green Giant Arborvitae: Staking Limitations; Horses Chewing Pine Trees: Bark Protection and Nutritional Causes; Pine Needle Management: Leave, Rake, or Mulch?; Separating Two Closely Planted Pine Trees: Feasibility and Timing; Date, Fig & Coconut Trees: All Palms?; Pine Needle Loss on Interior Branches: Natural Aging; Removing Overgrown White Pine Hedge: Stump Grinding Sufficient; Red Pine Row Failing in Saratoga Springs: Removal Urged; Longleaf Pine Summer Planting Shock

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