#digger pine

Pines play a vital role in our local ecology, and are the namesake of Lake of the Pines. Pines are known as conifers and softwoods. The many pines have their own family, Pinaceae, and belong to the genera Pinus. Unlike true flowering plants, which are known as angiosperms (seeds enclosed), Pines are gymnosperms (naked seeds), and produce seeds that are unprotected compared to what we traditionally think of as a seed.  Other conifers in our area include Cedars, Firs, Spruces, Junipers, and Redwoods.  Pines typically create acidic soils, and are found at all elevations in California, from coastal pine forests, to the mixed conifer forests of the Sierra Nevada foothills, to smaller alpine species at the Sierra crest.

Pine trees generally grow straight and tall, reaching heights of 3 to 80 meters in height depending upon species and location. Pine bark is dark brown and scaly-thick in most species, containing sticky “sap” which most of us become familiar with at a young age.  The presence of sap and softer tissues in its trunk lead to the common designation as “softwood”, compared to the hardwoods associated with deciduous trees.  This sap keeps pine from being ideal firewood, as it must be properly cured and can leave a blackish resin on chimneys.  On warm summer days the smell of pine can be quite pleasant and strong, although they are known to radiate heat well, making them less of a choice shade tree than oaks or other hardwoods.

The Pines “leaves” are needles, varying in size and arrangement.  An easy way to identify pine species is by the number pine needles per bundle or fascicle. For example Ponderosa and Gray Pines have 3 needles per fascicle, Lodgepole Pine has 2, while Sugar Pines have bundles of 5. Pines are evergreen trees, meaning they do not lose their leaves seasonally.  Most pines are monoecious, with both male and female flower parts on the same tree. Male cones develop first, and are often smaller, and produce pollen before falling.  Female cones are pollinated by the wind, and develop seeds which can take at least a year to mature. Some species open up and release their seeds when mature (which often are eaten by wildlife before we humans get a chance to notice), and some require the heat of fire to open. Pines therefore do not follow seasonal reproductive cycles in the same manner as do the flowering plants.

Gray Pine – Pinus sabiniana

                Pinus sabiniana, the gray, ghost, foothill, or digger pine is the most commonly found pine tree in Lake of the Pines.   The habitat of this pine is limited by elevation, as it does not grow above 4000 feet.  Our elevation of 2000 feet can be known as the Gray Pine Belt or Oak/Pine vegetation group as it is often found in areas where Blue Oak is also present.  The needles of Pinus sabiniana are in bundles of 3 and fairly long in length at 8 inches.  It receives its name from the distinctive gray-blue color to the human eye, and is called ghost pine because.  Gray pines in our area generally do not grow much above 50 feet in height, but easily can easily reach 100 feet in some locations. The bark can also be grayish in color.  Another identifying characteristic of the gray pine are its female, seed cones, which are very large and heavy compared to other Pines, 5 to 15 inches in length. Male cones are smaller and borne on lower branches before falling.  Gray pine produces edible pine nuts, which are not the commercially available variety (Pinus monophylla), but have been reported to be delicious if the hard work of harvesting is taken on.

   Ponderosa Pine – Pinus ponderosa

                The Ponderosa or Western Yellow Pine, Pinus ponderosa, is another very common pine found in our area, and one whose range reaches higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada range.  Ponderosa pine bark has a darker brown/orange color than Gray Pine, made up of “plates”.  It is one of the tallest pines in our area, often over 100 feet in height.  The leaves are needles of 3 per fascicle, and are dark green, averaging 5 inches in length.  Ponderosa pine can be identified by its cones, which are 2 to 4 inches in length, and prickly sharp to the touch when picked up, compared to a softer Jeffery Pine cone which can be found at higher elevations (Prickly Ponderosa, Gentle Jeffery).  Ponderosa Pine is an important member of the mixed conifer forests of the Westside foothills of the Sierra Nevada, and is also known as “Yellow Pine” here.

    Sugar Pine – Pinus lambertiana

                The Sugar Pine is a 5 needled pine, and is known by its extremely long pine cones, which are at least one foot in length.  The Sugar Pine ranges on the westside of the Sierra crest from northern Mexico north to the Cascades in Oregon.  Unfortunately many of the largest Sugar Pines have been either logged from our forests over the past century and a half or killed by an introduced fungus, but luckily they still can be found if not frequently.  It has long, straight branches, and its cones mature at its growing tips.  It is also the tallest pine to be found in our woods, commonly growing 180 feet in height.  Its needles average 3 inches in length.  It is reported to be one of John Muir’s favorite trees, and gets its name from the sweet smelling and tasting sap that it produces.  Sugar Pine is not necessarily known as a cultivated variety of Pine, but there still exists at least one Individual within Lake of the Pines, and many can be found on the Tahoe National Forest.

Stone Pine – Pinus pinea