Jeffrey
Pine at Hoyt Arboretum
USGS
Distribution
Map
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Jeffrey pine is similar in appearance to ponderosa pine. It
grows to over 130 feet (40 meters), much smaller than the largest
ponderosa.
Needles:
Like ponderosa pine, it has 3 needles
per
bundle. Jeffrey pine needles typically grow
farther along the twig, while ponderosa pine needles tend to be bunched
at the
end.
Cones: The
cones are 6 to 10 inches long and have a
sharp prickle on each scale. Although Jeffrey cones are often described
as less prickly than ponderosa cones, the difference is a subtle one.
Cone size is the best way to distinguish Jeffrey pine
from ponderosa pine, which has smaller 3 to 6 inch cones. The
prickles do tend to
point out more on Ponderosa cones, but this doesn't mean you won't feel
any pain when you pick up a Jeffrey cone. The Jeffrey prickles
are long and narrow compared to those of ponderosa pine.
Bark:
The bark looks similar to ponderosa pine with flat plates
shaped like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. But Jeffrey pine bark is
brown. The bark is variously described as smelling like vanilla, lemon,
or pineapple.
Where
it grows: Southwest Oregon
and throughout the Sierra Nevada of California up to the
timberline.
Jeffrey pine at Hoyt Arboretum
Uses:
Similar to ponderosa pine.
Names: Named
after Scottish botanist John Jeffrey. Other common names: Western
yellow pine, bull pine.
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Ponderosa
and Jeffrey cones
Ponderosa
and Jeffrey prickles
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