Pinus ponderosa Lawson & C. Lawson
Ponderosa pine, yellow pine, pino real, western yellow pine, bull pine, black jack pine, western red pine, western pitch pine
Kingdom Plantae Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom Tracheobionta Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division Coniferophyta Conifers—cone-bearing trees (and a few shrubs)
Class Pinopsida Gymnosperms such as cedars, Douglas-firs, cypresses, firs, junipers, kauri, larches, pines, hemlocks, redwoods, spruces, and yews
Order Pinales Cone-bearing plants: cedar, cypress, fir, juniper, larch, pine, redwood, spruce, yew, and others
Family Pinaceae Pine family: cedars, firs, hemlocks, larches, pines and spruces
Genus Pinus Latin for “pine”
Species ponderosa Means “tall slender pine”
About plant names...
Ponderosa pine is native to western North America.
Identification: Trees are 60-130′ (18-39 m) tall, to a maximum of 260′ (79 m). Trunks measure 2½-4′ (80-120 cm) in diameter (max 8′ (2.5 m)). Twigs are orange-brown, rough, and springy. Needles occur in groups of 2-5, with three most common. Each needle is 2½-10″ (7-25 cm) × 1/32″ (1.5 mm), deep yellow-green, and slightly twisted. Cones are about 4½″ (11 cm) long, oval to cylindrical when immature, maturing to be more egg-shaped.
For further information, see the Pinus comparison tables.
Online References:
The Gymnosperm Database
Wikipedia
The USDA Forest Service's Silvics of North America site
The Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation
Plants.ces.ncsu.edu
Vascular Plants of the Gila Wilderness
The USDA Forest Service's Fire Effects Information Database
References:
Sibley, David Allen, The Sibley Guide to Trees , Alfred A. Knopf, 2009 , p. 30
Pinus ponderosa description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.
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8/30/2014 · New Mexico · ≈ 8 × 6″ (20 × 14 cm)
8/30/2014 · New Mexico · ≈ 8 × 6″ (20 × 14 cm)
8/26/2014 · Lava Falls, Malpais National Monument, El Malpais, New Mexico · ≈ 1½ × 1′ (47 × 31 cm)
5/31/2009 · Grand Canyon, North Rim, Arizona · ≈ 3½ × 2½″ (9.3 × 6.2 cm) ID is uncertain
8/29/2007 · Klamath Falls, Oregon ID is uncertain
8/26/2014 · Lava Falls, Malpais National Monument, El Malpais, New Mexico · ≈ 1½ × 2½′ (53 × 79 cm)
8/30/2014 · New Mexico
8/30/2014 · New Mexico · ≈ 10 × 7″ (25 × 16 cm)
8/30/2014 · New Mexico · ≈ 6 × 8″ (14 × 20 cm)
8/26/2014 · Lava Falls, Malpais National Monument, El Malpais, New Mexico · ≈ 1½ × 2½′ (53 × 79 cm)
Range: Zones 5-10:
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