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
Ponderosa pine is native to western North America.
Plants: 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.
Leaves: Needles occur in groups of 2-5, with three most common. Each needle is 2½–10 ⨉ 1/32″ (7–25 cm ⨉ 1.5 mm), deep yellow-green, and slightly twisted.
Fruits: Cones are about 4½″ (11 cm) long, oval to cylindrical when immature, maturing to be more egg-shaped.
Habitats: Mostly mountainous regions, either alone or mixed with other pines.
For further information, see the Pinus comparison tables.
Online References:
References:
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) 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| 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” |
Pinus ponderosa description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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