Can anyone help me ID this pine tree?

[electraus]

Found this and several other great potential subjects on my new property in the foothills of the Sierra nevadas in California, near Sequoia national park. It looks a little big for bonsai. At least much bigger than anything I’m used to, but I also can’t get over how great the trunk movement and canopy are. Does anybody know what the species is? It’s a two needle pine.

 

[electraus]

Think it might be a pinyon pine based on the growth habit. Can anyone confirm?

 

[Ruddigger]

In that area could be Ponderosa. I dont think Pinon grow out there.

 

[electraus]

In that area could be Ponderosa. I dont think Pinon grow out there.

Don’t ponderosas have a more formal upright growth habit? The pines I’m seeing on this property have almost a mounding growth habit. Here’s another (badly damaged) one to give you an idea

 

[Cruiser]

Found this and several other great potential subjects on my new property in the foothills of the Sierra nevadas in California, near Sequoia national park. It looks a little big for bonsai. At least much bigger than anything I’m used to, but I also can’t get over how great the trunk movement and canopy are. Does anybody know what the species is? It’s a two needle pine.

Are you near Three Rivers? I lived there while working in Sequoia NP 2014-15.
Many of the pines I saw in those foothills were ponderosa, gray (sabiana) and knobcone (attenuata). Jeffrey, foxtail, sugar, and lodgepole are higher elevation and there is a distribution gap for coulter pine in that area. There were a fair amount of planted Monterey pines as well.
I’d check the ground around your tree for any cones. They would greatly aid identification.

 

[electraus]

Are you near Three Rivers? I lived there while working in Sequoia NP 2014-15.
Most of the pines in the foothills of that area are gray pine (sabiana) and knobcone (attenuata). I’d check the ground around your tree for any cones. They would greatly aid identification.

I’m a little over an hour NW of three rivers. This cone is not from this specific tree but a larger one right next to it. 99.9% sure they’re the same species.

 

[Ruddigger]

Being a 2 needle pines helps narrow it down.

 

[Wulfskaar]

Could it be Monterey Pine?

 

[Potawatomi13]

Curly needles/thin sprouts/stems seems not to be Ponderosa.

 

[Cruiser]

I’m still not sure what your tree is. Hard to say without being there in person. Maybe it’s a non native species.

If you care to dive deeper and really want to figure this out, more sample pictures and observations would help…
Pics of dominant buds on branch ends, needle bundles, branches that show cone orientation.
A freshly-picked unopened or recently opened cone would help (old cones get discolored and prickles wear off).
Measurements of needles and cones.
Close up pic of bark. Check for vanilla or butterscotch smell in bark crevices.
Are these two trees on your property the only ones? Are there lots of others all around to suggest they’re native?

Here are samples for some of the trees in that area.

Monterey pine
3 (2-4) needle
Lop-sided cones not prickly


Bishop-Knobcone pine hybrid (with Sibley Guide to Trees)
2 needle


Knob cone.
3 needles (2-4)


Gray (with Sibley guide)



Coulter

 

[Dabbler]

Wow - didn't know pinecones got that big!

 

[Melospiza]

Wow - didn't know pinecones got that big!

Coulter and Sugar Pines have cones so massive they pull down the branch tips they hang from. They are sometimes called widowmakers.