Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa

North plateau ponderosa pine, North Plateau Ponderosa Pine

Family: Pinaceae · Type: shrub · Native

North plateau ponderosa pine is a native shrub found in the high northern Sierra Nevada, Modoc Plateau, and northern high Sierra Nevada Mountains in semi-arid plateaus and low mountain habitats at elevations of 1,200 to 1,900 meters. With mature bark ranging from medium to dark red-brown or yellow-brown, this pine produces thick, gray-green needles that are slightly glaucous and 14 to 26 centimeters long. Growing as a shrubby tree with distinctive coloration, it develops seed cones 7 to 12 centimeters long that transform from green-brown to dark purple when maturing. Its seed cones feature scales that are predominantly black, occasionally marked with brown striations, which become slightly separated when the cone opens. The tree's bark and needle coloration make it a distinctive landmark in its semi-arid mountain habitats.

Habitat: Generally semi-arid plateaus, low mountains

Elevation: 1200-1900 m

Bioregions: CaRH, n SNH, MP

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.