Lodgepole pine -- Pinus contorta

Pronunciation: pie’-nus con-tort’-uh

Leaves: Acicular, fascicles of 2, 1 ¼” - 3” long, sharp and stiff, persistent (4-6 years), dark yellowish-green, margin is finely toothed

Cones: ¾” - 2” long, sub-cylindrical to ovoid, tawny to dark brown; scales often knob-like, cones may remain closed (serotinous), dorsal umbo, armed, tightly closed and may persist on the tree for a long time. No stalk, cones tend to curve toward the center of the tree, and are sometimes lopsided-looking

Bark: Coastal trees: reddish-brown to black - thick

Mountain trees: thin, light orange-brown to gray, thin loose scales like corn flakes

Twig: Mature: Stout

Young: slender, flexible, light orange-brown, becoming black with age

Bud: ovoid, slightly resinous

Habit/Form: Tall, slender, straight, pyramidal, 50’ tall

Other:

-1,500’ - 11,500’ (above 7,000’ in the Rockies)

-Shade intolerant, typically a seral species

-Susceptible to bark beetles, dwarf mistletoe, and is fire prone species

-Occurs in pure, often dense, and mixed stands

-Low elevation - Douglas-fir, larch, ponderosa, and other pines

-High elevation - Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, and limber pine

-Sierra - California red fir, limber and Jeffrey pine