Ponderosa Pine

The Ponderosa Pine, Pinus Ponderosa, will grow on most soils including very sandy soils and sites with very little topsoil. Once established, it is very drought resistant.

With good care, Ponderosa Pine trees will grow to a height of six feet in six years, starting with a 2 year old seedling. It is a tall stately tree that is widely used in windbreaks.

The Ponderosa Pine is the most frequently planted of the large, long-needled native pines. The soft dark green needles, 6-10 inches long, are arranged in bundles of three. Cones are 3 to 5 inches long.

Being a major source of timber, Ponderosa Pine forests are also important as wildlife habitat, for recreational use, and for aesthetic values. It is a slow growing, large evergreen that lives 300 to 600 years.

Native to mountain and plateau regions of the U.S., the Ponderosa Pine develops a taproot early in life that enables the tree to survive stressful conditions such as extended drought.

It is sometimes called Western Yellow Pine or Bull Pine. This evergreen conifer tree thrives in full sun and poor soil, and it is one of the tallest and most important timber pines in the Western States.