Pinus ponderosa detail (21/01/2012, Kew, London)
Position: Full sun
Flowering period: Summer
Soil: Moist, well drained
Eventual Height: 50m
Eventual Spread: 15m
Hardiness: 3a – 7b
Family: Pinaceae
Pinus ponderosa is a large, evergreen tree with an irregular crown. Its stiff, dark green, needle like leaves are up to 20cm in length and are usually arranged 2 or 3 (up to 5) in a bundle. The ends of the branches hold the clustered needles. The bark of the tree is orange with rough, furrowed ridges developing large scaly plates with age. These can be up to 10cm in thickness. The trunk may achieve a diameter of 1m. The flowers of this tree are monoecious. The male flowers are deep purple in colour, 2 cm long. The females flowers are dull red in colour, developing into slender ovoid cones which mature to brown in late sumer and are up to 10cm in length.
Pinus ponderosa (21/01/2012, Kew, London)
Pinus ponderosa, commonly known as Ponderosa Pine, Bull Pine, Blackjack Pine or Western Yellow Pine, is native to western North America and is associated with mountainous topography. It was described by David Douglas in 1826 and is the state tree of the state of Montana, USA. It was introduced into the UK in 1837. A P. ponderosa was climbed and measured in the Siskiyou National Forest, Origaon, USA on 13/10/2011. It measured 81.77m and is the tallest known Pine tree. There are four subspecies of this tree.
The etymological root of the binomial name Pinus is an ancient classical name for a ‘Pine tree’. Ponderosa is derived from the Latin ponderosus ‘significant’.
The landscape architect may find Pinus ponderosa useful as a large, evergreen specimen tree where space permits.
Pinus ponderosa bark (21/01/2012, Kew, London)
Ecologically P. ponderosa is attractive to squirrels and other wildlife who like to consume the seed of the tree. The needles are the only known food of the caterpillars of the Gelechiid Moth.
The Royal Horticultural Society has given P. ponderosa their prestigious Award of Garden Merit in 1993.
P. ponderosa prefers moist, well-drained soils, preferably deep sandy gravels. It tolerates most pH of soil.
P.ponderosa requires little maintenance.
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