There’s nothing better then asking my dog Roz – the cute 18 year old terrier pictured here to lead the way!
With her in charge, we were able to discover some ‘new to us’ conifers on a recent trip to the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Two that I’m going to focus on are:
~ Lodegpole pine (Pinus contorta var. murrayana)
~ California red fir (Abies magnifica)
Now let me back up just a little. This particular trip was a visit to the Eastern Sierras for a few days. Our base stays were in June Lake and Mammoth Lakes. In case you’re not familiar with these places, both are high elevation towns in the Eastern Sierra Nevada mountain range, about 6 hours drive from San Francisco (appx. 280 miles). These towns are easy to get to via highway 395. The quickest route options for driving to/from SF include going through Yosemite (gorgeous) or the Stanislaus Natioinal Forest or the slightly longer route through South Lake Tahoe. All are interesting and gorgeous routes.
Ok, now to the trees…
If you are out and about in the Sierra Nevadas – skiing, hiking – there’s a good chance you’ll be able to find these two conifers. A bonus is that you might be able to ID them in winter while skiing since these needle-leaved conifers (like most conifers) are evergreen!
1. Lodgepole Pine (PINUS CONTORTA VAR. MURRAYANA)
This Lodgepole variety, Pinus contorta var murrayana, is found in mid to high elevations of the Sierras.
How to Id this pine? In the Sierras, this is the only pine tree with 2 needles per bundle so it makes identification pretty easy!
This older one has weathered many a snowstorm. Hey, I was talking about the pine, not me. Haha 🙂
Grey cornflake textured bark
Pine cones are small with long prickles.
Dead contorted Lodgepole pine, Mammoth Lakes, CA.
2. California Red Fir (ABIES MAGNIFICA)
These Fir trees, in the Pine family (Pinaceae), typically grow in deep soil.
To ID: tight needles give branches a snowflake pattern when seen from below.
Blue-green needles curve upward and are 1 – 1.75 inches long.
This one was easy to id…
Upright cones clustered near tree-top make it easy to ID.
Cones are 6-8 inches long and per previous photo, clustered at the top of tree.
Old tree trunks are a thick, deep red-brown, with narrow, rounded, zigzag braided ridges. Younger bark is a smooth creamy-white.
These conifers aren’t long lived, between 200-250 years. They can grow as tall as 250 feet, though not the norm.
Bark Comparison: Lodgepole pine vs. California red fir
Have you had a chance to learn about new trees where you live or travel?
I highly recommend it – it’s a lot of fun! For this adventure I purchased a copy of: Laws Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada
Happy Gardening!
ps: If you’re interested in buying either of the books mentioned above, I’ve included my Amazon links for you. Laws Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada
– More than 1,700 species
– Descriptions of behavior, adaptations, and interactions between species
– Species and topics not found in most guides, including aquatic life, spiders and webs, plankton, plant galls, bark beetle galleries, animal tracks and evidence, seasonal star charts, weather patterns, and cloud formations
For more detailed information on the trees, A Natural History of Western Trees