Pinus lambertiana
Sugar pine
(c) Roger Raiche, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Pinaceae · Type: Tree · Native
Pinus lambertiana (Sugar pine) is a native California tree in the Pinaceae family, recognized by Enormous size and distinctive huge hanging cones make it unmistakable.
Sugar pine is a California native conifer found in northwestern California, the Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Santa Lucia Range, southwestern California, and western Great Basin in mixed-conifer and mixed-evergreen forests at elevations up to 3,200 meters. This massive tree produces remarkably large seed cones 20 to 60 centimeters long that hang pendulously from horizontal branches. Growing to impressive heights of up to 70 meters with a trunk potentially 3.3 meters wide, it develops a distinctively flat crown with large, spreading branches. Its needles grow in bundles of five, measuring 5 to 11 centimeters long and characterized by a stiff, sometimes twisted appearance. The mature bark is thick and dark purple-brown, forming irregular plate-like ridges that contribute to the tree's rugged, ancient character.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Enormous size and distinctive huge hanging cones make it unmistakable
Habitat and range
Habitat: Mixed-conifer, mixed-evergreen forests
Elevation: < 3200 m
California counties: Riverside, San Bernardino, El Dorado, Butte, Humboldt, Madera, Kern, Los Angeles, Lake, Mariposa, Mendocino, Glenn, Fresno, Ventura, Tuolumne, Siskiyou, Santa Barbara, Sierra, Tulare, San Diego, Alpine, Placer, Nevada, Sonoma, Plumas, Amador, Del Norte, Modoc, Trinity, Calaveras, Monterey, Inyo, Napa, Shasta, Lassen, Tehama
Outside California: Oregon, northern Baja California
How to tell it apart
vs Pseudotsuga: Pine needles come bundled in groups with papery sheaths; Douglas-fir needles attach individually to smooth twigs.; vs Abies: Pine needles come bundled in groups of 2-5; fir needles attach individually and directly to twigs.; vs Sequoia: Pine has bundled needles in groups of 2-5; redwood has individual scale-like or awl-shaped leaves on flat sprays.; vs Casuarina: Pine has true needles bundled in groups; Casuarina has jointed branchlets with whorls of tiny scale leaves.; vs Cedrus: Pine needles are bundled in tight clusters of 2-5; cedar needles grow in dense rosette-like clusters on short shoots.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pinus lambertiana native to California?
Yes. Pinus lambertiana is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Pinus lambertiana grow?
Pinus lambertiana occurs in Riverside, San Bernardino, El Dorado, Butte, Humboldt, Madera, Kern, Los Angeles and other counties, at elevations of < 3200 m.
What plant family does Pinus lambertiana belong to?
Pinus lambertiana is in the Pinaceae family, genus Pinus.
What habitat does Pinus lambertiana grow in?
Pinus lambertiana grows in Mixed-conifer, mixed-evergreen forests.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.