A legend of a native tree in the western U.S., and maybe suitable for growing in the East where summers are less hot and humid, Pinus ponderosa, commonly called Ponderosa Pine, is native primarily to mountain areas from British Columbia to Mexico east to North Dakota, Nebraska, and Texas. It is the State Tree of Montana. You might find it growing in pure stands in the wild; however, it is a fine specimen or grouping in home landscapes. That said, it's a long-lived tree (600 years) and grows quite large in a conical form to 60 to 120 feet tall and 15 to 30 feet wide in cultivation, so you'll need to give it ample space to grow. The trunk can grow to 4 feet in diameter at maturity and, with age, becomes covered in attractive, irregularly furrowed, reddish-orange bark. The 5 to 10-inch long dark golden green needles are in tufts at the ends of the branches, contrasting beautifully with the bark. It produces oval-shaped cones 4 to 6 inches long that grow upwards but turn upside down at maturity to release their seeds. With plenty of sunshine and well-drained soil, the Pondersoa Pine is easy to care for and is highly drought-tolerant when established. Get all the details below