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| ## Ponderosa pine {#ponderosa-pine .Title-Header}                     |
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| *Pinus ponderosa* P. & C. Lawson                                      |
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| Plant Symbol = PIPO                                                   |
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Contributed by: USDA NRCS Plant Materials Program

![Color image of ponderosa pine (Pinus
ponderosa)](media/image2.jpeg){width="1.7188976377952756in"
height="2.6208661417322836in"}

##### Alternate Names {#alternate-names .Header-3}

western yellow pine, yellow pine, bull pine, blackjack

##### Uses {#uses .Header-3}

*Beautification*: This is a handsome tree for purposes of beautification
but due to its height should not be grown within road rights-of-way.

*Erosion Control*: This tree with its native understory is an excellent
erosion control cover. It is one of the best evergreens for windbreaks.

*Livestock*: The young tree itself is not eaten by livestock unless most
of the other browse species have been destroyed by overgrazing. When
eaten by cows during gestation this species may cause abortion.

*Recreation*: Some of the finest campgrounds and picnic areas in the
west are found in native stands of ponderosa pine. Trees are stable and
generally wind-firm with little danger of top breakage.

*Wildlife*: While deer, elk and mountain sheep do not eat the needles
unless other browse species are totally absent, they do feed on the
understory species. The seeds of ponderosa pine are choice food of
red-winged blackbirds, chickadees, mourning doves, finches, evening
grosbeaks, jays, Clark\'s nutcrackers, nuthatches, white-throated
sparrows, rufous-sided towhees, turkeys, chipmunks and squirrels. The
pine needles are important food of blue and spruce grouses. The pine
bark is fair food for beavers, and is used by porcupines which sometimes
damage the trees. Nuthatches dig nest holes in dead trees.

*Wood Products*: It is used in small extent for Christmas trees but not
well suited to cultural work for this purpose. It makes excellent lumber
for cabinet and construction work. It is used for veneer, core stock and
sheathing. It is used for paper pulp but demand is low. It is used for
poles and has fair durability for posts. It is used for fuel especially
for fireplaces.

##### Status {#status .Header-3}

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural
Resources for this plant's current status (e.g. threatened or endangered
species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).

##### Description {#description .Header-3}

*Pinus ponderosa* P. & C. Lawson, is a large, long-lived, native forest
tree common throughout the western U.S. Height of mature trees range
from 55 to 90 feet. Diameter breast high ranges from 15 to 35 inches.
Age at maturity ranges from 70 to 250 years. The needles are 3 to 5
inches long with 3, or rarely 2 to 4, needles in a cluster (bundle). The
needles usually remain on the stem 3 to 4 years with the major needle
drop in September and October. The cones are pineapple-shaped, 3 to 6
inches long, and take 2 years to mature. The bark is dark brown to
nearly black when young and turns from cinnamon brown to orange-yellow
at about 90 years of age. This tree has a deep tap root except on
shallow soils where roots often follow cracks for considerable distance.
This tree is well adapted to grow on bare rock with its roots following
crevices or cracks in the rock.

**Adaptation and Distribution**

Average annual-precipitation in the plant's range is from 12 to 40
inches or more. It will grow well in hot, dry sites and can withstand
very cold winters. It is very drought tolerant but can be drowned out by
high water and still show surprising water tolerance in some situations.
The plant is found on a wide variety of soils from shallow to deep, and
from gravely or cobbly sands to sandy clay loam and loams in texture,
but mostly on sandy loams. It is adapted to grow on bare rock with its
roots in the cracks. It has low alkalinity tolerance growing on soils
with pH 6.0 to 7.0. Has low water table tolerance and medium drought
tolerance. Slopes vary from 2 to 50%. Elevation varies from 6000 to 8500
feet. Topography is gentle to steep mountain slopes, ridgetops and
mesas.

Ponderosa pine is distributed throughout the west and midwestern United
States. For a current distribution map, please consult the Plant Profile
page for this species on the PLANTS Website.

##### Establishment {#establishment .Header-3}

Site preparation is needed to control competition. Use transplant stock
1-1, 2-1 or 2-2. Plant stock 5 to 9 feet apart depending on site. Seed
matures August to November on trees over 20 years old. A good seed crop
may be produced every 2 or 3 years but good conditions for seedling
establishment may occur only every 20 to 25 years on the poorer sites.

##### Management {#management .Header-3}

Young stands should be protected from over-grazing by livestock when
green feed is limited. Use of tree foliage by livestock usually
indicates excessive overuse of the associated plants. By proper grazing
use of the understory species no damage to young or old trees will occur
from livestock grazing. Proper spacing of trees will provide more feed
for livestock as well as greater timber production. More widely spaced
trees will develop larger crowns, resulting in heavier seed crops for
wildlife and more forage for deer, elk and mountain sheep.

Weeds should be controlled by grazing, culture control or by
applications of approved herbicides.

##### Pests and Potential Problems {#pests-and-potential-problems .Header-3}

Ips bark beetles may be present near green slash in young stands. Avoid
cutting April to August. Several other species of bark beetles may be
found in older trees. Mistletoe may be present especially in lower
sites. Cut these infested trees during intermediate cuts. Western gall
rust is a dark brown oval branch enlargement about 1 to 2 inches in
diameter.

##### Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area of origin) {#cultivars-improved-and-selected-materials-and-area-of-origin .Header-3}

Seedlings are available from most commercial nurseries mainly in the
western United States. No specific cultivars are recommended. There are
2 varieties: *Pinus ponderosa var. arizonica* in the southwest and the
Rocky Mountain variety, *Pinus ponderosa var. scopulorum*, occurring
east of the Continental Divide, in the Central Plateau of western
Colorado, Utah, eastern Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico.

##### Prepared By & Species Coordinator:  {#prepared-by-species-coordinator .Header-3}

*USDA NRCS Plant Materials Program*

##### 

##### Edited: 05Feb2002 JLK; 060802 jsp {#edited-05feb2002-jlk-060802-jsp .Header-4}

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your
local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS
Web site\<[http://plants.usda.gov](http://plants.usda.gov/)\> or the
Plant Materials Program Web site
\<[http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov](http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov/)\>

*The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in
all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national
origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual
orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases
apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication of program information (Braille,
large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA\'s [TARGET
Center](http://www.usda.gov/oo/target.htm) at 202-720-2600 (voice and
TDD).*

*To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Director, Office of
Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence
Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice or
TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.*

*Read about [Civil Rights at the Natural Resources Convervation
Service](http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/about/civilrights/).*