49. SUGAR PINE, Pinus lambertiana
Sugar Pine is the tallest and largest species of Pinus (Pines), and its native range is the low-foothill mountains of the west coast of Oregon to northern Mexico. They are hardy to Zone 5 and compatible with CT weather. Part of this planting experiment is environmental - to plan and test for warmer weather over a century time frame. Several Sugar Pines were planted by Douglas Jackson in 2012. Doug has been at Westmoor Park since 2000, and is responsible for much of the planting and vision that has made Westmoor Park an Arboretum.
This species also has the largest cones of any Pine - but is too young to bear them. Yet.
3 SEASON COLOR
The Sugar Pines exhibited a lot of the early growing stresses that the Loblolly Pines did, and fingers are crossed here at the Arboretum that this decade long development has resulted in a root structure and environment that is supportive of the tree. No one has any idea of potential size (height and DBH) but other native Western transplants often do not become nearly as large as they do "back home". Examples are Douglas Fir and Colorado Blue Spruce. Both trees are here in the Arboretum.
NEW GROWTH
New growth in certain species of Pinus (Pines) occurs by shoots that are dubbed "candles". Look for it in Spring and the size and vigor of the candle often tells a story of how the tree is interacting with its total environment: fungi, bacteria, insects, water, sunlight/shade, and nutrients.