E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of BC

Pinus ponderosa Lawson & C. Lawson
ponderosa pine (yellow pine)
Pinaceae (Pine family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

Map

Distribution of Pinus ponderosa
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

SUBTAXA PRESENT IN BC

Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa
Pinus ponderosa var. scopulorum
Pinus ponderosa var.scopulorum

Introduction

This is an evergreen coniferous species of tree that is found from southern BC south to California, New Mexico, Texas, Nebraska and South Dakota.

Species Information

General:
Tree to 40-50 m tall; bark thick, deeply furrowed, dark reddish-brown or blackish when young, changing to cinnamon red when older and exfoliating as irregular scales.

Leaves:
Needles mostly in threes, often twos, occasionally fours or fives, (10) 12-20 (25) cm long, clustered towards branch ends; yellowish-green.

Cones:
Seed cones near branch tips, deep reddish-purple when young, maturing late in second year, turning brown; egg-shaped, 8-14 cm long; scales brown with thickened, yellowish, prickly tip; pollen cones yellow to purplish, strongly clustered.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Illustration

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

USDA Species Characteristics

Flower Colour:
Yellow

Blooming Period:
Mid Spring

Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Brown
Present from Summer to Fall

Source: The USDA

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Pinus ponderosa

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information	Value / Class
Site Information	Avg	Min	Max
Elevation (metres)	781	220	1896
Slope Gradient (%)	31	0	244
Aspect (degrees) [0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]	199	0	360
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR) [0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic; 8 - hydric]	2	0	7
Modal Nutrient Regime Class	C
# of field plots species was recorded in:	1818
Modal BEC Zone Class	IDF
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in	BG(154), ESSF(10), ICH(162), IDF(863), MS(34), PP(540)
Source: Klinkenberg 2013

Habitat and Range

Mesic to dry slopes, river terraces and flats in the steppe and montane zones; common in SC and SE BC; S to CA, NM, TX, NE, and SD.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Status Information

Scientific Name	Origin Status	Provincial Status	BC List (Red Blue List)	COSEWIC
Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa	Native	S4S5	Yellow	Not Listed
Pinus ponderosa var. scopulorum	Native	SU	Unknown	Not Listed

BC Ministry of Environment: BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer.

Synonyms

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Pinus ponderosa subsp. jeffreyi (Balf.) Engelm.
Pinus ponderosa subsp. washoensis (H. Mason & Stockw.) E. Murray

Taxonomic Keys

1. Needles 2 or 3 in a bundle.

2. Needles in bundles of 3, 12-20 cm long..........................Pinus ponderosa
2. Needles generally in bundles of 2, 2-6 cm long.

3. Cones spreading at right angles or reflexed, the scales armed with prickles...............................Pinus controta (2 varieties)
3. Cones directed towards the apex of the shoot, strongly incurved or divergent, the scales unarmed or armed with minute prickles..................Pinus banksiana

1. Needles usually 5 in a bundle.

4. Cones long-stalked, 15-25 cm long, 6-9 cm thick at maturity; cone scales thin and flexible; seeds prominently winged..........................Pinus monticola
4. Cones sessile or subsessile, 5-25 cm long, cone scales thick, woody, and sometimes remaining closed, seeds wingless or wings short and remaining attached to scale.

5. Cones 8-25 cm long, opening at maturity; scales light brown, thinned somewhat toward the tip...............................Pinus flexilis
5. Cones 5-8 cm long, remaining closed and tardily shedding the seeds at maturity; scales purplish, becoming thickened rather than thinnish toward the tip....................................Pinus albicaulis

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia