PONDEROSA PINE

Pinus ponderosa

Pine Family (Pinaceae)

Ponderosa pine is the classic long-needled forest tree that many think of as the quintessential pine of the West. Some think this majestic tree is too large for home landscapes, but ponderosa pine tends to grow up, not out, and a grove of two or three of these trees can create a wonderful shady outdoor living area, especially as the trees self-prune their lower branches as they grow taller. The spicy vanilla scent of the bark on summer afternoons adds to the pleasure, and the sound of the wind soughing in the pines is one of the most beautiful sounds in nature. Ponderosa pine is a relatively fast-growing tree that can become a dominant feature of the landscape in just a few years. It is relatively drought-tolerant for a forest tree and has few problems in cultivation. It combines well with Gambel oak, and with shrubs like Utah serviceberry, cliffrose, and oakleaf sumac.