Question
Hi Jim,
When I was twelve, my family went out west to California for vacation. We went to Sequoia National Forest and to the Redwood Forest.  I can't remember which one, but I picked up a pinecone that is about 12 inches long and about 4-5 inches wide. It is beautiful. I was at a tree farm this past weekend here in Ohio, and the owner of the farm had one behind him on the wall. I asked about it and he said an aunt who lives out west 30 years ago sent it to him and he wondered where it came from and from what type of pine.  I told him it was either one or the other I mentioned earlier. Can you help me out in determining which forest I picked it up in and from what type of pine tree? Thanks, Julie Thomas

Answer
I do not think it was either --the size of the sequoia cone is about the size of a chicken egg--the redwood is about the size of an olive and the dawn rdwood is like a large olive. I would guess Western White Pine--Fruit: Woody cones, 5-12" long (smaller than sugar pine cones); slender and curved. Cone scales are thin and often curve up on the end.
Here is a web link to pictures

http://oregonstate.edu/trees/con/spp/pinespp.html