Pinus ponderosa (Willamette Valley)
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Size at maturity: 150-200' tall, 25-30' wide
- Canopy layer: large tree
- Light requirements: full sun
- Moisture requirements: dry soil
- Growth rate: fast
- Special features: evergreen, medicinal
The name of this tree refers to the large size they attain at maturity. Ponderosa pines do best in sunny, dry locations and they are one of the most common evergreens in Eastern Oregon. While the bark on young trees is dark gray, with age it becomes orange and scaled like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle. The 6”–9” needles are arranged in bundles of three. (Portland Plant List, 2016)
The Ponderosa pine trees sourced by Sparrowhawk Native Plants are from native seed sources in the Willamette Valley, which have been shown to be more resilient to the wet winters of the Willamette Valley versus seed sources from central Oregon.
Photo Credit 1: "Pinus ponderosa (Ponderosa Pine)" by S. Rae is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Photo Credit 2: "Ponderosa" by gerald.byrnes is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Photo Credit 3: "Newly Planted Ponderosa Pine." by born1945 is licensed under CC BY 2.0