of Lassen “This species gives forth the finest music to the wind. After listening to it in all kinds of winds, night and day, season after season, I think I could approxi- mate my position on the mountains by this pine - music alone...” (John Muir)

Needles on all sides, 1” long

The following is ten of the more common trees Cone: 6” - 9” found on Lassen National Forest. Douglas menziesii 80’ - 200’ tall. The 1 1/12” - 1/4” common name for this scale like comes from David Douglas, a Scottish botanist, who sent

Cone: 3/4” - 1” its back to Europe in Incense cedar Libocedrus 1827. Its long, dark, yellow- decurrens 75’ -150’ tall. This is green needles are eaten by often confused with the redwood grouse, deer, and elk, and because of its thick, red, shaggy make it a popular Christmas , which protects the older trees tree. It is ranked first in total from fire. Its soft, aromatic is volume of timber for lumber commonly used in trunks and and plywood production. closets, and, because it is not splintery, is a leading source in the manufacturing of pencils.

Needles of two, Lodgepole pine Pinus contorta 20’ - 1” - 2 1/2” 80’ tall. This tree is the only native to both Mexico and Alaska. Adapted to fire, its cones open and seeds fall in extreme heat so it is responsible for its own rebirth. Its long, straight trunk made it valuable to Native Cone: 3/4” - 2” egg shaped Americans and early settlers for “lodge” poles and railroad ties. Today, it is used Grey pine Pinus for telephone poles. sabiniana 40’ - 70’ tall. Needles scale This conifer has very large, like, flat Western juniper Juniperus heavy cones that stay on occidentalis 15’ - 60’ tall. the tree for many years. This species has been Inside, are large edible known to live for an esti- Cone: berry, 1/4” - seeds with a detachable 3 seeds inside mated 2,000 years. It has wing that were harvested long, thick roots which by Native Americans as a mimic the shape of its common food source. Its branches and a bluish soft, lightweight wood and berrylike cone that is fleshy. crooked trunk make it Its irregular forms and impractical for use other weathered wood patterns Cone: broad, 6” - 10” than firewood. make it an attraction to photographers. Needles of 3, 7” - 13”

United States Pacific Department of Southwest Lassen National Forest Agriculture Region , Eagle Lake, & Almanor Ranger Districts Jeffrey pine 60’ Red Fir - 180’ tall. Nicknamed the bull Abies magnifica 100’ - pine, this tree was named for a 150’ tall. The fan shaped

19th century botanical explorer, Cone: 6” - 9” branches and short blue John Jeffrey. Its crushed bark green upturned needles

or twigs smell like vanilla or Needles upward make this tree very Cone: 5” - 8” lemon, and its cones have a 3/4” - 1 1/4” popular at Christmas Needles of 3, turned in prickle which make time. Its bark is whitish 5” - 11” them easy to hold. “Gentle silver when young, jeffrey” is a good way to re- giving it the nickname member the name of this tree. “silver tip”. Growing in high altitudes, early Cone 3” - 5” mountaineers used the Ponderosa pine plush, aromatic boughs Pinus ponderosa 50’ - of this tree to prepare 200’ tall. One of the their beds. most common species

Needles of 3, in , this 5” - 10” tree was named for heavy “ponderous” Cone: 3” - 5” wood. Its cones have upturned prickles, and must be handled with Needles upward 3/4” - 2 1/2” care, giving it the White Fir nickname “prickly 70’ - 160’ tall. This species is ponderosa”. A variety grown for ornament, shade, of wildlife eat the and Christmas trees. Its seeds which have a scientific names “abies stong resinous flavor. concolor” refers to the “uni- form color” of its blue-green needles which grow in two nearly perpendicular rows. Birds and mammals feed on the winged seeds as well as the foliage.

Sugar Pine Pinus For more information please contact lambertiana 100’ - 160’ tall. This “king of pines” has the Lassen National Forest Supervisor’s Office, 2550 Riverside Drive, Susanville, Ca. 96130 largest cone of the . 530 257-2151 Although very light-weight, they can reach a length of Hat Creek Ranger District, P.O. Box 220, Fall up to 22 inches. Native River Mills, Ca. 96028 530-336-5521 Americans ate the seeds, and used the sweet sap for Eagle Lake Ranger District, 477-050 Eagle medicinal purposes. The Cone: Lake Road, Susanville, Ca. 96130 530-257- Needles of 5, 11” - 20” wood provided early set- 2” - 3 1/2” 4188 tlers shakes, shingles, and fence rails. Almanor Ranger District, PO Box 767, Chester Ca. 96020 530-258-2141

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