Sugar Pine
Pinus lambertiana
Pine Family (Pinaceae)

Growth Form: Tallest of our pines, perhaps in excess of 200 feet. Horizontal branches may be quite long. Very old trees may be flat topped due to lightning or insect damage.

Leaves: Evergreen; needles in bundles of 5, 2 to 4 inches, narrow stomatal bands on all surfaces, persist about 3 years

Bark: Reddish-purple to medium brown, irregular plates of puzzle-like scales separated by deep furrows

Cones: Stalked; cylindrical; long, up to 24 inches, no scale prickles, large seeds consumed by many animals, Native Americans often carried the seeds as emergency rations.

Found: On wide variety of soils, generally in mixed conifer stands

Tidbits: The white wood is valued for interior finish work, furniture, shingles or shakes.