Pinus ponderosa var. washoensis

Washoe pine

Family: Pinaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Washoe pine is a native shrub found in the northern Sierra Nevada Mountains, Warner Mountains, and high Cascade Range in upper mixed-conifer to lower subalpine habitats at elevations of 2,000 to 3,000 meters. Its distinctive trunk grows to 35 meters tall with mature bark ranging from medium to dark red-brown, featuring shallow furrows and a short, conic or flat-topped crown. Growing with three needles per bundle, these needles are exceptionally thick and light green with a bluish-gray cast, measuring 12 to 17 centimeters long. The tree produces seed cones 5 to 11 centimeters long, which begin as dark red-purple and mature to green or dark purple, with scales showing intricate brown and black striations. Its distinctive bark and needle structure make it a unique variant of ponderosa pine found in high-elevation mountain environments.

Habitat: Upper mixed-conifer to lower subalpine

Elevation: (1400)2000-3000 m (generally hybridizes with

Bioregions: CaRH, n SNH, Wrn

California counties: Modoc

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