Lodgepole Pine, Pinus contorta

About Lodgepole Pine (Pinus contorta) 10 Nurseries Carry This Plant

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Pinus contorta is a common tree in western North America with the bulk of its population to the north and east of California. Within California it is found primarily in the Sierras, with scattered populations in other mountains. There are three recognized subspecies which can vary greatly in appearance. In the Sierras ssp. Murrayana can be very tall with a straight trunk, consistent with the common name Lodgepole Pine. It is found at elevations from 1,500 ft. to 12,000 ft. Near the coast ssp. contorta can be shrub height with twisted trunk and branches and known as Beach Pine. It is found from sea level to about 2,000 ft. Ssp. bolanderi is a rare species from the coast of Mendocino County northward to Oregon.

Pinus contorta is a moderately important timber wood but not often used in landscaping. The needles are held in bundles of two. The cones of may be of either the closed or open type and remain on the tree for many years. The bark is relatively thin and susceptible to fire.

Plant Description

Plant Type

Tree

Size

30 - 112 ft tall
40 ft wide

Form

Upright

Growth Rate

Fast

Dormancy

Evergreen

Fragrance

Fragrant - Pleasant

Flower Color

Yellow

Flowering Season

Summer

Wildlife Supported

A wide range of wildlife utilize Pinus contorta
Bird gardens

Butterflies & moths hosted ( 38 confirmed

, 67 likely * ) SHOW ALL

Western Pine Elfin Callophrys eryphonCallophrys eryphon

Brown-lined Looper Neoalcis californiariaNeoalcis californiaria

Red Girdle Moth Caripeta aequaliariaCaripeta aequaliaria

Silver-spotted Tiger Moth Lophocampa argentataLophocampa argentata

Manto Tussock Moth Orgyia antiquaOrgyia antiqua

Western Carpet Melanolophia imitataMelanolophia imitata

Mottled Gray Carpet Cladara limitariaCladara limitaria

Landscaping Information

Sun

Full Sun, Part Shade

Moisture

Low

Summer Irrigation

Max 3x / month once established

Nurseries

Carried by 10

Ease of Care

Very Easy

Cold Tolerance

Tolerates cold to -20° F

Soil Drainage

Fast, Medium, Slow

Soil Description

Tolerates a wide variety of soils. Soil PH: 5.0 - 7.0

Common uses

Bank Stabilization, Hedges, Deer Resistant, Bird Gardens

Companion Plants

In the wild Pinus contorta is found with Serviceberry (Amelanchier sp.), Manzanita (Arctostaphylos klamathensis or nevadensis), Ceanothus cordulatus or velutinus, Bush Chinquapin (Chrysolepis sempervirens), Ocean Spray (Holodiscus discolor), Juniperus sp., Honeysuckle (Lonicera sp.), Currant/Gooseberry (Ribes sp.), and Huckleberry (Vaccinum sp.)

Maintenance

Prune in winter when wood boring insects are less active.

Propagation?

For propagating by seed: Fresh seeds need no treatment; stored seeds 1 mo. stratification ( USDA Forest Service 1974 ).

Natural Setting

Site Type

Settings range from the low elevation, wind-swept north coast to the high elevation forests of the Sierras.

Climate

Annual Precipitation: 6.9" - 140.7", Summer Precipitation: 0.25" - 4.94", Coldest Month: 17.9" - 54.0", Hottest Month: 38.4" - 77.2", Humidity: 0.01" - 24.11", Elevation: 7" - 14460"

Alternative Names

Common Names: Beach Pine, Lodgepole Tamarack Pine, Shore Pine

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Sources include: Wikipedia. All text shown in the "About" section of these pages is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Plant observation data provided by the participants of the California Consortia of Herbaria, Sunset information provided by Jepson Flora Project. Propogation from seed information provided by the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden from "Seed Propagation of Native California Plants" by Dara E. Emery. Sources of plant photos include CalPhotos, Wikimedia Commons, and independent plant photographers who have agreed to share their images with Calscape. Other general sources of information include Calflora, CNPS Manual of Vegetation Online, Jepson Flora Project, Las Pilitas, Theodore Payne, Tree of Life, The Xerces Society, and information provided by CNPS volunteer editors, with special thanks to Don Rideout. Climate data used in creation of plant range maps is from PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, using 30 year (1981-2010) annual "normals" at an 800 meter spatial resolution.

Links: Jepson eFlora Taxon Page CalPhotos Wikipedia Calflora

Lodgepole Pine

Pinus contorta

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Lodgepole PinePinus contorta

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Lodgepole Pine

Pinus contorta