These cones persist unopened on the trees for several years. The cones open only in response to fire or on a very warm day . This community is dominated by the presence of the Monterey pine. The size of the trees and the density of the canopy limit the plants growing in association with the pines to those able to tolerate the deep shade. The soils in these areas are quite shallow and nutrient-poor, further limiting the species able to grow among the pines.
Fire is an integral part of a healthy Monterey pine forest.
Without periodic burns, whether started by lightning, Native Americans in the past, or rangers today, the pine forest becomes a thicket of spindly trees with very few other species able to survive. Too many nutrients are locked up in dead vegetative matter on the forest floor to support healthy plant growth. The other tree species in this community is the coast live oak. Coast live oaks live longer than the pines, so without periodic fires to regenerate the growth of the pines, the oaks might in time replace the pines as the dominant tree species. Frequently found growing in both the oaks and pines is the lace lichen, Ramalina reticulata .