Product Overview
Ponderosa Pine is a handsome native tree from western North America. In gardens it is an ideal choice for larger spaces, or for informal settings, such as a cottage or beach house. It is a fast-growing tree, adding more than 12 inches of height each year, and it grows between 60 and 125 feet tall in time. Mature trees have a tall trunk, with attractive orange-brown bark furrowed into large, roughly rectangular plates. Its branches are horizontal to descending, giving the tree a broad conical shape when younger, and a narrower conical shape when older. The needles are in bunches of three or sometimes two, and they are up to 10 inches long. The 6-inch-long cones are upright as they develop but hang down when mature.
- Rugged American native pine tree
- Long needles and large cones
- Ideal large tree for open spaces
- Resistant to cold, deer and salt-spray
- Fast growing – more than 12 inches a year
Ponderosa Pine grows best in sandy, well-drained soils, although it will grow well in any soil that is not constantly wet. It is among the most resistant of species to salt-spray, making it an ideal choice for seaside gardens. It is hardy all through zone 4, with temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees, and when established it has good drought resistance, It is also rarely if ever bothered by deer, and it has few significant pests or diseases.
- Plant HardinessZones 4-8
- Mature Width25-30
- Mature Height60-100
- Soil ConditionsWell-Drained Soil
- SunlightFull Sun
- Drought ToleranceGood Drought Tolerance
Larger properties need larger plants, and there is great pleasure in watching a large tree develop and grow over the years. A collection of interesting trees planted on grassy areas is a fascinating way to develop a low-maintenance garden – once planted all you really need to do is mow and watch them grow. Among those trees should be some pine – majestic trees with a special aura about them. One of the best large pines to grow is native to Western North America – the Ponderosa Pine.
Ponderosa Pine is a large, upright tree with a heavy trunk that can in time become 4 feet across. In gardens it usually grows between 60 and 125 feet tall, although in the wild, trees over 225 feet tall have been found. It has a long life – up to 600 years, so planting this tree is planting for the future. There was once a much stronger tradition of planting trees for future generations – an act of faith in a better world – and planting trees on your property that will one day be majestic giants is an expression of that tradition.
Growing Ponderosa Pine Trees
Ponderosa Pine grows at a fast rate when young, adding over 12 inches in height every year. Within 10 years it will be at least 12 feet tall, and already an attractive tree. Younger trees have a broad, conical shape, with wide-spreading horizontal branches, slightly up-turned at the ends. As the tree matures it becomes more narrowly conical, and older branches turn more downwards, giving a graceful look to the tree.
