Male Cones:

Male cones are largely inconspicuous, but exist on every kind of pine tree. These often elongated, scaly structures resemble unopened female pine cones, but appear in clusters and are substantially smaller, sometimes growing no more than a half-inch long. They drop shortly after wind pollination in the spring. Male cones tend to develop on the end of the prior year's growth on branches below female cones to prevent self-pollination.

Female Cones:

Female cones are the more familiar cones that people associate with pine trees. These woody structures range in size from about 2 inches to over 2 feet on some species. Unlike with flowering plants, pollination is a prolonged process in female cones. Once the wind-borne pollen lands on the cone, it takes about a year for fertilization to occur. Some species will slowly open their cones as seed development occurs. Others require exposure to heat in excess of 130 degrees Fahrenheit -- most likely caused by fire -- for this vital seed-disbursing step to take place.