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Home > Pine > Ponderosa Pine

Ponderosa Pine

Ponderosa pine is a species of lean and erect coniferous trees distributed in the western US and Canada. It is one of the most abundant conifer species in America and is valued for its rugged-looking and resilient timber as well as for recreational use.

Ponderosa Pine Range

Ponderosa Pine Range

Scientific Classification

KingdomPlantae
DivisionPinophyta
ClassPinopsida
OrderPinales
FamilyPinaceae
GenusPinus
SubgenusPinus
Scientific NamePinus ponderosa
Western Yellow Pine

Western Yellow Pine

Ponderosa Pine Tree

Ponderosa Pine Tree

Quick Information

Other NamesWestern yellow pine, blackjack pine, bull pine
SubspeciesSouthwestern ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa subsp. brachyptera), Columbia ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa subsp. ponderosa), central High Plains ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa subsp. readiana)
SizeVery large; trees reach up to 235 ft in height and 324 inches in circumference
IdentificationLeaves (Needles): Slender, flexible, occurring in groups of three, bright green, 12-20 cm long

Cones: Orange or yellow male cones, occur in small clusters at the tips of branches; oval and woody female cones, 8-15 cm long; scales have sharp, rigid prickles

Bark: Blackish-brown in young trees; yellow to orange-brown with broad, scaly plates in mature trees

Shape at MaturityIrregular, cylindrical
Distribution/RangeArizona, Colorado, Idaho, California, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Nebraska, Oregon, Texas, South Dakota, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Washington, Utah (USA); British Columbia (Canada); Coahuila, Sonora (Mexico)
Hardiness Zones3-7
Growth RateMedium; 13-24 in per year
Lifespan300-600 years
Growing ConditionsWinter Conditions: Tolerates extreme temperatures as low as -40° C

Summer Conditions: Average summer temperatures range from 17°-21° C

Rain: 280-1700 mm per year

Sunlight: Full sun

Soil Requirements: Moist, deep, loamy, well-drained, rocky, clayey loam, alkaline, salty, dry; mature trees are highly drought-tolerant

Diseases and PestsDwarf mistletoe, black-stain root disease, western red rot, needle cast caused by E. deformans, limb rust, western gall rust, Comandra blister rust; insects like western pine beetle, bark beetle, western pineshoot borer, weevils, pandora moth, pine butterfly cause damage
Flowering/FruitingFlowering starts in early May; pollens are shed from late May to mid-June, cones mature during July-August the following year, seeds ripen during August-September, seeds are shed before December
Breeding SystemMonoecious
Seed ProductionBegins after 7 years, continuing until 350 years of age
Seedling DevelopmentEpigeal germination, older seedlings tolerate limited moisture
Wildlife ValueChickadees, mourning doves, jays, finches, red-winged blackbirds, squirrels, turkeys, chipmunks feed on ponderosa pine seeds; needles and bark are used as nesting materials by spruce grouse and rodents; also serve as roosting or nesting site for different bird species
Varieties/CultivarsPacific ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa var. pacifica), Rocky Mountains ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa var. scopulorum), Washoe pine (Pinus ponderosa var. washoensis)
UsesFor lumber, landscape planting, buffer strip, windbreak; as ornamental trees including bonsai and Christmas trees; wood for making furniture
IUCN Conservation StatusLeast Concern
Ponderosa Pine

Ponderosa Pine

Ponderosa Pine Pictures

Ponderosa Pine Pictures

Interesting Facts

  • A Scottish nurseryman, Charles Lawson has been credited with naming and describing these pines, although their scientific name was first coined by David Douglas in 1829.
  • The deep taproot system of ponderosa pines makes them wind-resistant.
  • These pine trees give off a turpentine-like smell, indicating the presence of terpenes such as delta-3-carene, alpha- and beta-pinenes, etc.
  • In 1953, around 145 ponderosa trees were transported and planted in Area 5 to study the effects of exposure to the nuclear blast during the Operation Upshot-Knothole. The pines were partially damaged and blown over.
  • The US state of Montana has ponderosa pine as its official tree.
Ponderosa Pine Needles

Ponderosa Pine Needles

Ponderosa Pine Bonsai

Ponderosa Pine Bonsai

Ponderosa Pine Cones

Ponderosa Pine Cones

Ponderosa Pine Lumber

Ponderosa Pine Lumber

References:

  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinus_ponderosa
  2. https://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/silvics_manual/Volume_1/pinus/ponderosa.htm
  3. https://www.arborday.org/TREES/treeguide/TreeDetail.cfm?ItemID=901
  4. https://www.nps.gov/brca/learn/nature/ponderosapine.htm
  5. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/42401/2977432

Published on November 29th 2016 by admin under Pine.
Article was last reviewed on 9th May 2023.

2 responses to “Ponderosa Pine”

  1. What Is A Ponderosa? says:
    December 31, 2023 at 3:56 pm

    […] Find Other Relevant Online Links Covering This Topic: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ponderosa https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinus_ponderosa https://www.coniferousforest.com/ponderosa-pine.htm […]

    Reply
  2. A Love for Trees – Heidi Lynne' Yoga and Wellness says:
    February 11, 2024 at 8:38 pm

    […] the Methow in spring and summer when the hills are strewn with mountain flowers and the smell of Pondersosa Pine fills the hot, clear air. Talk about de-stressing! As Meaghan Weedan wrote on the OneTreePlanted […]

    Reply

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