What is the branching pattern of lodgepole pine?
Branches generally curve upward, and usually only grow on the top third of the tree when trees are growing under crowded conditions. Male or pollen cones (watch these!) are small (8 mm to 10 mm long), and reddish-green. They grow in clusters and are produced in the spring at branch tips.
How do I identify a lodgepole pine?
Lodgepole Pine Identification:
- Needles occur in pairs and are 1.2 to 2.4 inches long with sharp ends.
- Bark is thin and scaly and colored orange-brown to gray.
- Cones vary in shape from short and cylindrical to egg-shaped, 1.6 to 2.4 inches long with sharp, flat scales on the ends and often occur in clusters.
What does lodgepole pine look like?
A handsome native pine with yellowish green to dark green needles, twisted in bundles of two. It has a long, slender, pole-like trunk with a short, narrow, cone shaped crown. The flaky, thin bark is orange brown to grey or black.
What is the difference between shore pine and lodgepole pine?
Distribution: The Shore Pine or Beach Pine is found along the coast from southern Alaska to Northern California. Lodgepole Pine is found throughout the Rocky Mountains and other western mountain ranges. Growth: Shore Pine grows fairly fast, typically to 20 or 35 feet (6-10m), but the tallest are over 100 feet (33m).
What are serotinous cones?
Serotinous cones. In environments where hot, fast moving fires are frequent, some pine species have developed very thick, hard cones that are literally glued shut with a strong resin. These “serotinous” cones can hang on a pine tree for years, long after the enclosed seeds mature.
What is the difference between ponderosa pine and lodgepole pine?
Ponderosa and Jeffrey Pines have needles 5-10 inches long, whereas the needles on Lodgepoles are only 1-3 inches long. The size and shape of pine cones is another of the key characteristics to differentiate the pine species.
How can you tell the difference between ponderosa pine and lodgepole pine?
What color is lodgepole pine?
Color/Appearance: Heartwood is light reddish/yellowish brown, sapwood is yellowish white. Heartwood color tends to be paler than Ponderosa Pine, and isn’t always clearly demarcated from the sapwood.
Why is it called lodgepole pine?
The common name “lodgepole pine” comes from the custom of Native Americans using the tall, straight trees to construct lodges (tepees) in the Rocky Mountain area.
Which pine trees have serotinous cones?
Jack pine has developed what is called a serotinous cone. Serotinous cones are covered with a resin that must be melled for the cone to open and release seeds. When a fire moves through the forest, the cones open and the seeds are distributed by winds and gravity.
Which trees have serotinous cones?
Trees that have a serotinous tenancy in North America include some species of conifers including pine, spruce, cypress, and sequoia. Serotinous trees in the southern hemisphere include some angiosperms like eucalyptus in fire-prone parts of Australia and South Africa.