Coaster Pine Cones

Each GrafixMat® is a work of art, masterfully laser-engraved on the cork front with a unique and amusing story colorfully illustrated on its flip-side.

Pinecones are both male and female. The males are soft and non-woody, and usually found in clusters on the lower branch tips. During the first year of a female cone's life, the bracts open to accept pollen, closing again to hold the pollen inside. The pollen does not germinate and fertilize the ovules until the next year and takes another year for the seeds to mature. Then the bracts open and release the seeds. The mature seeds of the pine tree (aka: pine nuts) are high in protein and are eaten by people and forest animals. The stone pine, cultivated in Italy for more than 6,000 years, produces pignoli nuts, a national favorite.