Practical
Plants

Pinus ponderosa

Ponderosa Pine

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Pinus genus in the family Pinaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Pinaceae
Genus
Pinus
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
moderate
Height
25 m
Spread
7 m
Fertility
Self sterile, Wind
Flower type
monoecious
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The wood, sawdust and resins from various species of pine can cause dermatitis in sensitive people[12].

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Inner bark - raw or cooked[15]. Mucilaginous[2][4][11]. Best harvested in the spring[15]. The inner bark can be eaten fresh, but is more often dried, ground into a powder and either used as a thickener in soups or is mixed with flour for making bread etc[K]. Seed - raw or cooked[20][21][2][13][15]. Rich in oil, the seed has a slightly resinous flavour. Quite small, it is only about 8mm long[9]. The seed can be crushed into a meal and used in making bread etc[11]. The resin has been chewed as a gum[13][15]. Young male cones have been chewed for the juice[15]. A vanillin flavouring is obtained as a by-product of other resins that are released from the pulpwood[9].

Product or use
Condiment
Product or use
Gum
Plant part
Inner bark
Plant part
Seed

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Ponderosa pine was employed medicinally by several native North American Indian tribes, who valued it especially for its antiseptic and vulnerary properties, using it to treat a range of skin problems, cuts, wounds, burns etc[15]. It was also valued for its beneficial effect upon the respiratory system and was used to treat various chest and lung complaints[15]. The turpentine obtained from the resin of all pine trees is antiseptic, diuretic, rubefacient and vermifuge[16]. It is a valuable remedy used internally in the treatment of kidney and bladder complaints and is used both internally and as a rub and steam bath in the treatment of rheumatic affections[16]. It is also very beneficial to the respiratory system and so is useful in treating diseases of the mucous membranes and respiratory complaints such as coughs, colds, influenza and TB[16]. Externally it is a very beneficial treatment for a variety of skin complaints, wounds, sores, burns, boils etc and is used in the form of liniment plasters, poultices, herbal steam baths and inhalers[16]. The branches are used in herbal steam baths as a treatment for muscular pains[15]. A decoction of the plant tops has been used in the treatment of internal bleeding and high fevers[15]. An infusion of the dried buds has been used as an eye wash[15].

Product or use
Antiseptic
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Ophthalmic
Product or use
Pectoral
Product or use
Poultice
Product or use
Rubefacient
Product or use
Salve
Product or use
Skin
Product or use
Vermifuge
Product or use
Vulnerary

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A tan or green dye is obtained from the needles[5]. A yellow dye can be made from the pollen[13]. A blue dye can be made from the roots[15]. The needles contain a substance called terpene, this is released when rain washes over the needles and it has a negative effect on the germination of some plants, including wheat[10]. The branches are used as a strewing herb[25]. A decoction of the plant tops has been used as a conditioning wash to give a person a fair and smooth skin[15]. A fairly wind-tolerant tree, it can be used in shelterbelt plantings[9]. This tree is a source of resin, though it is not exploited commercially[21][6]. Oleo-resins are present in the tissues of all species of pines, but these are often not present in sufficient quantity to make their extraction economically worthwhile[21]. The resins are obtained by tapping the trunk, or by destructive distillation of the wood[16][21]. In general, trees from warmer areas of distribution give the higher yields[21]. Turpentine consists of an average of 20% of the oleo-resin[21] and is separated by distillation[16][21]. Turpentine has a wide range of uses including as a solvent for waxes etc, for making varnish, medicinal etc[16]. Rosin is the substance left after turpentine is removed. This is used by violinists on their bows and also in making sealing wax, varnish etc[16]. Pitch can also be obtained from the resin and is used for waterproofing, as a wood preservative, adhesive etc[15]. It burns well and so has been used to make torches[15]. The root fibres have been used in making baskets[15]. Material for insulation and a tinder are also obtained from the tree[25]. The cones make a quick fire, whilst the scales from the trunk bark burn easily, give off no smoke and cool quickly[11]. Wood - light, strong, fine-grained and pleasantly aromatic, the wood can vary from soft to hard[1][17][24][6][13][14]. An important lumber tree, it is used for making furniture, boxes, toys etc[1][17][24][6][13][14], and it is also used for fuel[25]. For reasons that are unclear, some tree stumps contain high concentrations of pitch - this makes them very rot-resistant and inflammable and therefore useful for fence posts and kindling[13].

Product or use
Basketry
Product or use
Cosmetic
Product or use
Dye
Product or use
Fuel
Product or use
Herbicide
Product or use
Insulation
Product or use
Resin
Product or use
Strewing
Product or use
Tinder
Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy

Windbreak

Environment

Range
Western N. America - British Columbia to N. Mexico.
Habitat
Found in a variety of soils from sea level to 2800 metres[14], though mainly inland and in drier areas[19]. The best growth is from trees growing in deep well-drained soils[14].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 4+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
high wind, drought
Wind
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

It is best to sow the seed in individual pots in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe if this is possible otherwise in late winter. A short stratification of 6 weeks at 4°c can improve the germination of stored seed[22]. Plant seedlings out into their permanent positions as soon as possible and protect them for their first winter or two[3]. Plants have a very sparse root system and the sooner they are planted into their permanent positions the better they will grow[K]. Trees should be planted into their permanent positions when they are quite small, between 30 and 90cm[9]. We actually plant them out when they are about 5 - 10cm tall. So long as they are given a very good weed-excluding mulch they establish very well[K]. Larger trees will check badly and hardly put on any growth for several years. This also badly affects root development and wind resistance[9]. Cuttings. This method only works when taken from very young trees less than 10 years old. Use single leaf fascicles with the base of the short shoot. Disbudding the shoots some weeks before taking the cuttings can help. Cuttings are normally slow to grow away[23].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Thrives in a light well-drained sandy or gravelly loam[1][3]. Dislikes poorly drained moorland soils[1]. Established plants tolerate drought[9]. Seedlings strongly dislike growing in the shade[19] and are unable to succeed under the canopy of the parent trees[13]. Plants are fairly wind tolerant[9]. Extensively used in cool temperate forestry[9], this species is occasionally planted for timber in central and southern Europe[18]. Growth can be quite fast when young but it soon drops of and averages around 30cm per year[8]. The best trees in Britain are found in a belt running from Kent through the Midlands to N. Wales and also in S. Scotland[8]. Trees live 300 - 600 years in the wild[14], they seem to be long-lived and healthy in Britain[8]. Seed production commences when the tree is about 20 years old[14]. There are usually several years of low to medium yields between each year of high yields[14]. The cones are 8 - 15cm long, they open and shed their seed whilst still attached to the tree and then soon fall from the tree[24][13]. Plants are strongly outbreeding, self-fertilized seed usually grows poorly[9]. They hybridize freely with other members of this genus[9]. Leaf secretions inhibit the germination of seeds, thereby reducing the amount of plants that can grow under the trees[7]. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[9].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  4. Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.

    ↩

  5. Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-02-544950-8

    ↩

  6. Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  7. Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979-00-00

    ↩

  8. Mitchell. A. F. Conifers in the British Isles. HMSO 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-11-710012-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  9. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9↩10↩11

  10. Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0-304-34324-2

    ↩

  11. Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-449-90589-6

    ↩1↩2↩3

  12. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

    ↩

  13. Lauriault. J. Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Ontario. 1989-00-00 ISBN 0889025649

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8

  14. Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980-00-00 ISBN 0442238622

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  15. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9↩10↩11↩12↩13↩14↩15

  16. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8

  17. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  18. ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00

    ↩

  19. Hitchcock. C. L. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press 1955-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  20. Howes. F. N. Nuts. Faber 1948-00-00

    ↩

  21. Howes. F. N. Vegetable Gums and Resins. Faber

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  22. McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-901361-21-6

    ↩

  23. Rushforth. K. Conifers. Christopher Helm 1987-00-00 ISBN 0-7470-2801-X

    ↩

  24. Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20278-X

    ↩1↩2↩3

  25. Turner. N. J. Plants in British Columbian Indian Technology. British Columbia Provincial Museum 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-7718-8117-7

    ↩1↩2↩3

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