Sugar Pine

Far be it from me to dismiss the western pines when speaking of stately beauty and gracefulness supported by a sturdy frame.  While it is no Eastern White Pine, the Sugar Pine (Pinus Lambertiana) is definitely worthy of such remarks.  In fact, it actually is a "white pine", bearing needles in clusters of five and sadly being a victim of white pine blister rust.

Rim of the World Drive, San Bernardino County, California.

The Sugar Pine has the added distinction of prominently bearing cones which "drip" from its branches.  Its many picturesque qualities have made it the subject of many paintings and photographs, just as the Eastern White Pine was a favorite subject for artists such as the Group of Seven.  An Ansel Adams photograph of a Sugar Pine is prominently featured in the first floor gallery of the Department of the Interior building in Washington, D.C.

Like most trees of the Pacific range forests, the Sugar Pine is huge.  The tallest specimens are over 250 feet tall.  With the possible exception of pre-colonial Eastern White Pines, such specimens mean that this is the most massive pine in the world.  If you want to see one up close and personal, you need to head to southern Oregon, California, or Baja California, where they can be found in abundance when one climbs higher than a mile above sea level.