BETTER LANDSCAPES
START WITH
NATIVE TREES
Contractors
Spokane County’s native tree is the North Plateau Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa, Douglas ex C. Lawson). Trees from Montana growers may be Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa var. scopulorum), while growers in Oregon and Western Washington may sell Pacific Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa var. benthamiana).
Be sure you’re buying our Ponderosa Pine. It’s acclimatized to our region and will help ensure the best results as your landscape matures.
For an in-depth description of the species and its subspecies, see this great article on Wikipedia.
Things To consider with ponderosa Pine
Water
At no time should you allow the root ball of a Ponderosa Pine to dry out or otherwise suffer from stress related to water loss. This is the number one reason for new planting mortality. Ponderosa Pines should be treated like Arborvitae prior to planting; they are extremely sensitive to water stress until established.
Root Issues
Because of the sensitive nature of Ponderosa Pine water intake during establishment, it is vitally important that tree stock has an adequately developed and properly prepared root ball.
Root abnormalities related directly to improper growing and/or digging techniques can cause irreparable harm to tree stock. Common root abnormalities include:
- Root collar set too deep in the ball.
- J-roots (roots planted with a bend).
- Girdling roots.
- Low root fibrosity.
Field-Dug B&B vs. Containerized Stock
The majority of Ponderosa Pine tree stock is field-grown, then balled and burlapped just prior to shipping. The typical Ponderosa Pine root structure consists of a taproot and lateral roots roughly 20 inches below the surface.
Commercial nursery field digging is usually done with a hydraulic tree spade. Tree spades dig a cone-shaped root ball, cutting off the tree’s taproot and lateral root structure. Field digging removes the majority of the taproot and much of the surrounding root structure. This makes it vitally important to keep the root ball properly watered throughout the transport and replanting process.
If available, we suggest purchasing and installing container-grown Ponderosa Pines that have been allowed to develop feeder roots in their containers. Another alternative is to containerize B&B Ponderosa Pines until they regrow feeder roots, helping them better survive placement in the landscape.
This is a practice used by the City of Spokane Urban Forestry Department and has resulted in substantially improved survivability rates for their Ponderosa Pines.
Ponderosa Pine and the Warrantee
Here Are a Few Points to Consider When Warranting Ponderosa Pines
- Ponderosa Pine is a common issue for contractor warranties in our region, but tree mortality is often preventable. In many cases, improper handling of the root ball is to blame.
- Contractors should require trees with high-quality, properly developed root balls from growers.
- Tree stock quality should always be reviewed prior to acceptance.
- The root ball must never be allowed to dry out.
- Large planting stock should be planted in the spring for the best chance of successful establishment.