![\"\"](\"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/467529055_957661523075597_1775570993149508567_n.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n\u201cThe event has a dual purpose: to provide a fun experience for the community and to educate attendees on the fascinating world of sugar pinecones,\u201d said Marlaine Cover of Arnold, who organized the competition. \u201cAlthough large sugar pinecones are a common sight in Calaveras County, many locals are unaware they are among the longest pinecones on the planet.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Coulter pinecones native to the coastal mountains of southern and central California are the heaviest \u2014 some tipping the scales at over 10 pounds, earning them the nickname “widow-makers” \u2014 sugar pinecones (Pinus lambertiana) hold the title for length, growing up to 22 inches long, making them a true marvel of the natural world.<\/p>\n
Fun Facts About Sugar Pinecones:
\nSugar pines produce both male and female cones.<\/p>\n
Male cones are smaller, grow on lower branches, and release pollen before shriveling.<\/p>\n
Female cones grow on higher branches, bear seeds and change color as they ripen.<\/p>\n
Green cones are immature and won\u2019t produce viable seeds; they are best left on the tree
\nto mature over several months.<\/p>\n
In California you can collect up to two bushels of ornamental pinecones\/household\/year without a permit. Only dry cones found on the ground may be harvested. A “dry cone” refers to one that has fully dried out, causing its scales to open and release seeds, signaling it’s ready for natural dispersal.<\/p>\n
Exciting News for Participants:
\nUnlike other pinecone competitions, winners at the Calaveras Pinecone Competition get to keep their record-breaking cones along with their prizes! Judges include Calaveras CountyDistrict 3 Supervisor Martin Huberty and Vida Kenk, VP of Calaveras Big Trees Association, and former head of the science and biology departments at San Jose State University.
\nDon\u2019t miss this unique event celebrating the beauty and wonder of nature’s creations. Space is limited so Text 209.770.1111 to register. Ten dollar cash entrance fee will be collected at door. One hundred percent of all monies will go to the winner. <\/p>\n
Emergency walkie-talkie-like GMRS radios are the prize for the runner-up. Arnold residents have a radio network for use during emergencies when cell towers and\/or power is down. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Arnold, CA…Sunday, November 24th, 1\u20133 PM. Sequoia Woods Country Club, 1.000 Cypress Point Dr., Arnold, CA. Do you have what it takes to break a record? Bring your longest sugar pinecone to the Calaveras Pinecone Competition this Sunday in Arnold \u2013 halfway between Yosemite and Tahoe \u2013 and see how it measures up against the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":185764,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,19,20,4,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-185762","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arnold","category-entertainment","category-featured","category-life-style","category-news","last_archivepost"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/467529055_957661523075597_1775570993149508567_n.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/185762","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=185762"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/185762\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":185765,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/185762\/revisions\/185765"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/185764"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=185762"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=185762"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=185762"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}