Ponderosa Pine

Pinus ponderosa

303 Military Drive

The ponderosa pine is one of the largest trees native to this area. This one is 150 feet tall with a trunk circumference of over 14 feet. In 1998 "Big Bertha" was aged at around 235 years old.

Ponderosa Pine is the most widely distributed and common pine in North America. Its natural range extends from southern British Columbia south as far as northern Mexico.

Its needles are four to eight inches long and three to a cluster. They are gathered near the end of the branches, giving a "bottle-brush" appearance. With age, the dark, rough bark of young trees becomes a lighter yellowish or reddish brown with large, flat, scaly plates. Other names for this tree are bull pine and yellow pine.

Ponderosa pine is an important lumber tree and its wood is used in dimension lumber, moldings and other mill work.

Nominated by: Jim & Bonnie Warwick