The Ponderosa Pine is the most widely distributed of North American pines, growing from southern Canada to northern Mexico. It grows under a variety of environmental conditions with differing soil types, pH levels, and moisture contents.

By sending down fast-growing roots, the ponderosa can out-compete other trees on more exposed slopes. A seedling just 3 inches tall may have a taproot 24 inches long. Moreover, seedlings can withstand prolonged drought that would kill other trees. These and other survival adaptations make the ponderosa pine a genuinely hardy tree.

The bark of 300-600year old trees is very thick and often covered with fire scars. Scientists have found trees they believe to have survived over 20 fires. Unusually hot forest fires can be deadly for the species, however. Exceptionally large ponderosas succumbed to the raging fires that swept through Yosemite in August, 1990.

Ponderosa reproduction throughout its range is irregular; it appears that good seed production occurs in areas with above average rainfall.

Description:

• Size: large tree, 60-180 feet

• Shape: crowns of young-to medium-aged trees are slender and spine-like; crowns of mature trees are flattened with main branches sweeping downward only to ascend abruptly at their ends

• Bark: on mature trees, furrowed and breaks off into distinct puzzle-shaped pieces, outer bark is tan, inner bark is sulphur-yellow; on young trees bark is not furrowed and does not form puzzle-shaped scales, outer bark is brown to black

• Needles: in 3’s, (not uncommon to find 4), 4-8 inches, glossy, from yellow to dark green.

• Cones: 2-5 inches, tips of scales sharp, prickly to touch

• Other: hairy twigs. Creeping, twisting, stretching branches. Will support a tire swing but at your own peril as the large branches can be hollow.

In recent years, Bark Beetle infestation killed millions of Ponderosa Pine trees in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. There is now a massive amount of standing dead and downed trees that is fuel for catastrophic wild fires such as the Creek Fire in 2020 that burned 379,895 acres of mostly Sierra National Forest. The Creek Fire destroyed so much of our forest. Three years later seeing images of the fire causes deep emotions to surface. And the loss of trees is soul crushing.

The Ponderosa Pine has been a source of inspiration for my artwork for many years. I find the form and structure of trees to be fascinating and love that my artwork can make a small difference.