Great Basin bristlecone pine is a long-lived, native species, characteristic of treeline in the high desert ranges of eastern California, Nevada, and Utah. It is ectomycorrhizal and may be nitrogen fixing.
Trees usually have a contorted and multistemmed appearance.
The first leader on a tree often does not persist. The sparse crowns of twisted trees are supported by a narrow strip of cambium, the living tissue of a tree. Trees retain needles for 30 to 40 years. Bristlecone pines are known for their longevity. One individual on Wheeler Peak in eastern Nevada lived at least 4,900 years by count of annual growth rings and was estimated to be 5,200 years old.