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The Willamette Valley ponderosa pine grows up to 100 feet tall. This fast growing and stately tree only gets better with age. A mature tree's bark smells like vanilla and butterscotch. The puzzle-like bark pieces become an appealing dark chocolate and caramel colors as the tree matures.
Willamette Valley Ponderosa Pine
The word, ponderosa, means "heavy" in Latin and refers to the weight of the wood.
Distribution
Ponderosa pines are widely distributed in the Western North America. They are found from British Columbia to California and as far east as Nebraska.
The Willamette Valley ponderosa pine population is adapted to the conditions of Western Oregon with our wet winters and dry summers. Our ponderosas don't get as tall their siblings east of the Cascades. Ponderosas growing in that area can reach upwards of 200 feet tall.
Needles and Cones
The ponderosa's bright green needles grow on bundles of three and are four to eight inches long.
Like all pines, the ponderosa's seeds are protected by a scaly cone. Their cones are identified by the spikey tips on each scale. The cones range in size from about three to five inches long.
Indigenous Peoples and Ponderosa
The Sanpoil and Nespelem People of Eastern Washington eat the ponderosa's carbohydrate-rich cambium layer in the spring. Ponderosa is also an important resource for the Klamath People. They use the sturdy wood to construct canoes and to build structures.
Ponderosa Pines in Portland
Portland has seven ponderosas on its Heritage Tree List. Most are on private property. The tallest of these ponderosas is 125 feet tall.
Look for ponderosas in neighborhood parks throughout the city.
Caring for Ponderosa Trees
Ponderosa pines are fast growing when they get enough water. They are a good choice for creating shade in yards and parks. For example, the ponderosa in the photo was transplanted as an eight-to-ten-foot tree in 2019 at Irving Park. In less than five years, it is now upwards of 25 feet tall.
Once established, ponderosas are drought tolerant and remarkably fire resistant.
Ponderosa trees don't tolerate shade. Make sure to plant them where they will get full sun. Ponderosa trees grow best in well-draining soil.
Like all new tree plantings, your new ponderosa tree needs three to five years of establishment watering. For more tips, please see Urban Forestry's establishment care guide.
Problems and Pests: Ponderosas are somewhat susceptible to Sequoia pitch moth. This insect pest rarely causes serious damage. The moth is attracted to pitch, so don't prune in the spring or summer months when the pitch is most actively flowing.
Use Oregon State University's plant disease and insect management handbooks to diagnose potential problems with your ponderosa:
For More Information
- Ray, Verne F., 1932, The Sanpoil and Nespelem: Salishan Peoples of Northeastern Washington, University of Washington Publications in Anthropology, Vol. 5, page 103.
- Coville, Frederick Vernon, Notes on the Plants Used by the Klamath Indians of Oregon 1897, Smithsonian Institute.
- Pinus ponderosa Dougl. (usda.gov)
- Pinus ponderosa | Landscape Plants | Oregon State University