Description:
The sugar pine, with the exception of some populations in western Nevada, is largely an Oregon and California native. It inhabits the coast ranges, the Cascades, and the Sierra Nevada (where it is most abundant). It ranges in the foothills to the mid-elevations, where it commonly shares space with Douglas-fir, white fir, ponderosa pine, and incense cedar.
It is the tallest of the pines. To me, its usually symmetrical stature is most regal. Over time, the lower limbs get shaded out, and they drop off, leaving a long, clear trunk.
The most magnificent feature of the tree is its long cone – the longest ones can be close to two feet long – the longest in the world! The cones often make Christmas or ornamental souvenirs – but leave them to the squirrels please.
Its needles are grouped in fives, like all the “white” pines, including the closely related western white pine, that has a splendid cone as well, although at about half the length.
Personal Observations:
This one is a work in progress. I saw many of them in the Sierra Nevada, near where I used to live. I have now observed many of them central Oregon. My first observations were on the north slope of Pringle Butte which is about forty miles south of Bend, Oregon. I parked my car at a forest demonstration kiosk on Burgess Road and headed up the slope to find the trees, which have a very limited presence in central Oregon. I also found several populations east of La Pine. One of those observations was on the aptly named Sugar Pine Ridge, quite a distance from other populations to the west. It was a very large, but single specimen. There were no seedlings nearby. It was in a very steep rocky crag, and probably spared cutting because of its location.
I have also recorded several of them east of Lake Tahoe. They were neighbors to ponderosa pine, Jefferey pine, incense cedar, white fir, red fir, and lodgepole pine.