One of the three varieties of Pinus ponderosa. This variety has short needles in bundles of two and small cones. This important timber pine has reached heights of 100'. It's height potential and 3' trunk makes this pine the most important commercial pine in the southwest US and the Rocky Mountain region. Its wood is hard and fine-grained, making the quality excellent choice for building lumber. Insect, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This tree is susceptible to wind damage. More information on Pinus ponderosa .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt)
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 60 ft. 0 in. - 90 ft. 0 in. | Width: 25 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Canopy layer
1 - Canopy (>40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Pyramidal; Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Needled Evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf shape
Linear
Leaf size
> 6 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
5" to 10" in bundles of 3 masses toward the end of the branches. Crushing the needles give off a citrus scent.
Flower color
Brown/Copper; Red/Burgundy
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
Male cones are 1.5" and brown, round female cones (.25") and reddish
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Red/Burgundy
Fruit size
> 3 inches long
Fruit detail
3" to 6" woody, oval-shaped cone with prickles on the ends of the scales.
Bark color
Dark Brown; Red/Burgundy
Bark detail
Smells like vanilla when scratched with a fingernail. Reddish-brown in color, the bark separates into broad, flat plates, separated by dark fissures.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Red/Burgundy
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Western Central U.S.A. to Northern Mexico
Wildlife value
This plant supports Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed. Birds eat the seeds
Attracts
Moths; Small Mammals; Songbirds
Play value
Wildlife Food Source
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Lawn; Meadow; Naturalized Area; Woodland
Landscape theme
Nighttime Garden; Winter Garden
Design feature
Barrier; Border; Hedge; Mass Planting; Screen/Privacy; Shade Tree; Specimen