Ponderosa Pine — Growing reference
| Scientific name | Pinus ponderosa |
|---|---|
| Seed germination (days) | 14–30 |
| Soil temperature for germination (°C) | 7.2–18.3 |
| First harvest or flowering (days) | 730–1825 |
| Measured from | Transplant |
| Plant spacing (cm) | 609.6–1219.2 |
| Mature height (cm) | 1828.8–6096 |
| Mature spread (cm) | 609.6–1219.2 |
| USDA hardiness zones | 3–7 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Water | Low |
| Sowing method | Direct sow |
Growing directions
Plant seeds or container-grown trees in spring in very well-drained, slightly acidic to neutral, dry to average, deep, sandy or loamy soil in full sun; ponderosa pine is the most widely distributed pine in North America — covering more land area than any other pine and forming vast, open, parklike forests across the entire western interior from British Columbia to Mexico and from the Pacific Coast ranges to the Great Plains. The mature bark is one of the most distinctive of any tree — developing large, interlocking, jigsaw-puzzle-like plates of orange-cinnamon to yellow-orange bark that, on a warm day, exude a remarkable, unmistakable vanilla and butterscotch fragrance from the bark's resin pockets. The bark fragrance is one of nature's most memorable and beloved scents, often serving as the first signal to hikers that they have entered ponderosa pine forest. The open, parklike ponderosa forests maintained by frequent low-intensity fire have been severely disrupted by a century of fire suppression, creating dangerously overcrowded forests prone to catastrophic crown fire. Among the most important forest restoration and thinning challenges in the western US. Makes an excellent large landscape pine for dry, western gardens.
Source and local conditions
Typical planning ranges from OpenPlantDB (CC0). Cultivar, climate, season and growing method can change these values. Confirm the seed label and local guidance before planting.
Source & verification
OpenPlantDB · CC0