Southwest Oregon Conifers

The conifers of northwest Oregon also grow in southwest Oregon, although no Western Larch grow south of the Three Sisters nor Pacific Silver Fir south of Crater Lake. The conifers shown here are not found to the north.

Port Orford Cedar – Chamaecyparis lawsoniana

Leaves: Flat, scaled, white X's below

Cones: Round, woody, 3/8" diameter

Bark: Brown, thick, furrowed

Where: SW Oregon below 5000 ft.

Jeffrey Pine – Pinus jeffreyi

Needles: Bundles of 3, 5-10" long

Cones: 6-10" long, egg shaped

Bark: Brown puzzle pieces

Where: Mountains of southwest Oregon

Knobcone Pine – Pinus attenuata

Needles: Bundles of 3, 3-6" long

Cones: Clusters, closed, woody, 3-6" long

Bark: Gray, scaly

Where: Mountains of southwest Oregon

Sugar Pine – Pinus lambertiana

Needles: Bundles of 5, 2-4" long

Cones: Large, 10-20" long

Bark: Gray-brown with furrows

Where: Above 1000 ft. south of the 45th parallel

Hybrid Firs

Hybrids of these California firs grow in southwest Oregon.

Red Fir – Abies magnifica

Hybrid: Shast Red Fir – Abies magnifica x procera

Needles: Bent like hockey sticks

Cones: 6-9" long, upright at tree top

Bark: Brown turning gray, furrowed

Where: Above 4500 ft. in southern Oregon

White Fir – Abies concolor

Hybrid: Abies concolor x grandis

Needles: 2", blue-gray, white lines on top and bottom

Cones: Upright on tree top, 3-5"

Bark: Gray, furrowed

Where: Above 3000 ft. in southern Oregon

Rare Conifers of Southwest Oregon

Redwood – Sequoia sempervirens

Needles: 1" long, flat on twig, angled forward

Cones: 1" long, thick woody scales

Bark: Brown, thick, soft, deep furrows

Where: Southern Oregon Coast

Brewer Spruce – Picea breweriana

Needles: Sharp, thin, on long drooping twigs

Cones: 3-6" long, rounded scales

Bark: Brown with gray scales

Where: Rare in southwest Oregon above 3000 ft.

Gray Pine – Pinus sabiniana

Needles: Gray-green, bundles of 3, 6-12" long

Cones: Egg shaped, 6-10" long

Bark: Dark brown with furrows

Where: Jackson County, Oregon

Modoc Cypress – Hesperocyparis bakeri

Leaves: Scaled, white resin dots

Cones: up to 1", round

Bark: Brown, smooth, then peeling

Where: Rare in southwest Oregon above 3000 ft.

MacNab Cypress – Hesperocyparis macnabiana

Leaves: Scaled, white resin dots

Cones: up to 1", round

Bark: Brown, furrowed

Where: Rare in southwest Oregon

Sargent Cypress – Hesperocyparis sargentii

Leaves: Scaled, no white resin dots

Cones: up to 1", round

Bark: Brown, furrowed

Where: Rare in southwest Oregon