So dramatic!

My son has been making muglio (pine cone syrup). To make muglio he needs young green pine cones. He wanted white spruce, black spruce, red pine, and balsam so he could do a taste test. As a result we have been assessing every pine tree in a three mile radius of our home for muglio-worthiness. This red pine branch was at the tip of dead branch on an otherwise healthy tree. The crazy twisted needles implies it was some kind of parasite or gall that killed the branch. If you are going to go out, go out in style!

dead red pine branch with malformed needles and cones