This is a tall, slender tree growing up to about 100 ft/30 m. It has a very straight trunk about 12-18 in/30-45 cm in diameter. The trunks were once used as poles by native peoples in the building of their tipis; hence its name: Lodgepole Pine.

Male and female cones grow on the same tree at the tips of the branches.

The needles grow in bundles of two and can be 1-3 in/2-5 cm long with a bit of a twist and a sharp point.
They are yellow-green. The bark is browny-orange and flaky.

The cones stay on the tree for many years. They grow curved and away from the tip of the branch. The scales of the cones have small prickles.

Walking in the Wild

The Ponderosa Pine »