Ponderosa
Pine on the Rim
by Lee Reeder
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This magnificent old Ponderosa Pine stands on the promontory on the Rim of the World Scenic Byway between Rimforest and Baylis Park. The tree is protected by a Forest Service sign proclaiming it a wildlife habitat. It barely escaped the Old Fire. A few of its kin didn't. If there is a such thing as Ents, as described by JRR Tolkien in the Lord of the Rings, this just might be one of them. |
The same Ponderosa up close. Ponderosas are closely related to Jeffreys and they are known to hybridize, but there are differences--mostly in the cones and the bark color. The cones of the Ponderosa are smaller and have prickles that stick straight out, and the bark of the Ponderosa is yellow, while the Jeffrey is reddish brown. The bark on the sunny side of both Jeffreys and Ponderosas smells like vanilla or pineapple. |