View source for Yellow pine

{{about|pine trees in the United States and United Kingdom}}
{{short description|Informal group of similar species of pine tree}}
[[File:Pinus jeffreyi MtPinos1.jpg|thumb|right|Jeffrey pine forest on [[Mount Pinos]], California]]

In ecology and forestry, '''yellow pine''' refers to a number of [[pinophyta|conifer]] species that tend to grow in similar plant communities and yield similar strong wood. In the Western United States, yellow pine refers to [[Jeffrey pine]] or [[Pinus ponderosa|ponderosa pine]].<ref name=NRVYP>{{cite web|last=Safford|first=H.D.|year=2013|title=Natural Range of Variation (NRV) for yellow pine and mixed conifer forests in the bioregional assessment area, including the Sierra Nevada, southern Cascades, and Modoc and Inyo National Forests|publisher=USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region|location=Vallejo, CA|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5434331.pdf}}</ref>{{rp|4}}<ref name=Schoenherr/> In the Southeastern United States, yellow pine refers to [[Pinus palustris|longleaf pine]], [[Pinus echinata|shortleaf pine]], [[Pinus elliottii|slash pine]], or [[Pinus taeda|loblolly pine]].<ref name="usfs"/> In the United Kingdom, yellow pine refers to [[Pinus strobus|eastern white pine]] or [[Scots pine]]. In New Zealand, it refers to ''[[Halocarpus biformis]]''.

==Western United States==
{{see also|Sierra Nevada lower montane forest|Rocky Mountain ponderosa pine forest}}
The Jeffrey pine and the ponderosa pine are common in drier montane areas of the [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]]. They are often confused by casual observers. Across the remainder of the American West, Jeffrey pine is absent, with ponderosa pine being the sole yellow pine.

Jeffrey pine is more stress tolerant than ponderosa pine in the Sierra Nevada. At higher elevations, on poorer (including [[ultramafic]]) soils, in colder climates, and in drier climates, Jeffrey pine replaces ponderosa as the dominant tree (Jeffrey pine forest).<ref name=NRVYP/> Ponderosa pine-dominated forests ("Ponderosa pine forest") occur at elevations from about {{convert|300|to|2100|m|ft|abbr=on}}. Jeffrey pine-dominated forests occur mostly in [[California]], from {{convert|1500|to|2400|m|ft|abbr=on}} in the north, and {{convert|1700|to|2800|m|ft|abbr=on}} in the south. The highest elevations are typically on the [[Ecology of the Sierra Nevada#Eastern biotic zones|east side of the Sierra Nevada]].<ref name=NRVYP/> "Eastside pine forest" refers to areas of [[Lassen National Forest]], [[Plumas National Forest]], and [[Tahoe National Forest]], all on the east of the Sierra Nevada crest, where ponderosa and Jeffrey pine codominate.<ref name=NRVYP/>

[[File:Ponderosa Pine and winter understory (16156982631).jpg|thumb| A group of ponderosa pine trees]]
Ponderosa pine forests occurs on the [[flora of the Colorado Plateau and Canyonlands region|Colorado Plateau]]<ref>{{cite book|title=Canyon Country Wildflowers|first=Damian|last=Fagan|edition=2nd|year=2012|publisher=Morris Bush Publishing|isbn=978-0-7627-7013-7}}</ref> and in the [[Sierra Nevada lower montane forest|Sierra Nevada]]<ref name=Schoenherr>{{cite book|title=[[A Natural History of California]]|first=Allan A.|last=Schoenherr|year=1993|publisher=UC Press|page=[https://archive.org/details/naturalhistoryof00scho/page/180 180]|isbn=0-520-06922-6}}</ref> of the Western United States, as well as other parts of North America.

One way to distinguish between them is by their cones. Each has barbs at the end of the scales. The sharp Jeffrey pine cone scale barbs point inward, so the cone feels smooth to the palm of one's hand when rubbed down the cone. Ponderosa pine cone scale barbs point outward, so feel sharp and prickly to the palm of one's hands. Another distinguishing characteristic is that the needles of Jeffrey pine are glaucous, less bright green than those of ponderosa pine, and by the stouter, heavier cones with larger seeds and inward-pointing barbs.<ref name="Moore2008">{{cite book |last1=Moore|first1=Gerry |last2=Kershner|first2=Bruce |first3=Craig|last3=Tufts |first4=Daniel|last4=Mathews |first5=Gil|last5=Nelson |last6=Spellenberg|first6=Richard |last7=Thieret|first7=John W. |first8=Terry|last8=Purinton |last9=Block|first9=Andrew|display-authors=4 |title=National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Trees of North America |publisher=Sterling |location=New York |year=2008 |page=86 |isbn=978-1-4027-3875-3}}</ref>

Jeffrey pine wood and ponderosa pine wood are sold together as yellow pine.<ref name=wood-db>{{cite web|url=http://www.wood-database.com/jeffrey-pine/|title=Jeffrey Pine|work=The Wood Database}}</ref> Both kinds of wood are hard (with a [[Janka hardness]] of {{convert |550|lbf|abbr=on}}), but the western yellow pine wood is less dense than southern yellow pine wood ({{convert|28|lb/cuft|abbr=on}} versus {{convert|35|lb/cuft|abbr=on}} for shortleaf pine).<ref name=wood-db/>

==Southern United States==
[[File:DeSoto National Forest.jpg|thumb|right|Southern yellow pines in [[De Soto National Forest]]]]
In the [[Southern United States]], yellow pines can refer to one of the native species: [[Pinus taeda|loblolly]], [[Pinus palustris|longleaf]], [[Pinus echinata|shortleaf]], or [[Pinus elliottii|slash]] pines.<ref name="usfs">{{cite web |url=http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fpltn/fpltn-214-1936.pdf |title=Southern Yellow Pine |work=United States Forest Service: Forest Products Laboratory |publisher=United States Department of Agriculture |access-date=13 April 2010}}</ref> These yellow pines grow very well in the acidic [[red clay soil]] found in most of the region. The wood from the southern yellow pines typically has a density value between {{convert|50|and|55| lb/cuft|abbr=on}} when pressure treated. Yellow pine grows across the South and [[Mid-Atlantic (United States)|Mid-Atlantic]] regions, from [[Texas]] to [[New Jersey]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Maryland: A Guide to the Old Line State |year = 1976|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K6BlU1wPV7oC&pg=PA158 |publisher=US History Publishers |isbn=978-1-60354-019-3 |page=158}}</ref><ref name="Commission1971">{{cite book |author=Maryland. Hall of Records Commission |title=Calendar of Maryland State Papers |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gekMAAAAIAAJ&q=%22yellow%20pine%22 |year=1971 |page=294}}</ref>

[[Dimensional lumber]] and [[plywood]] products manufactured from southern yellow pine are used extensively in home construction in the United States. They are also used for wooden [[roller coaster]]s and are most used for [[utility pole]]s throughout the United States.<ref name="fpj">{{cite journal |last1=Vlosky |first1=Richard P. |date=1 April 2003  |title=Homebuilder attitudes and preferences regarding southern yellow pine |journal=Forest Products Journal |publisher=Forest Products Society  |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/287165585 }}</ref>

==New Zealand==
''[[Halocarpus biformis]]'', a species of [[podocarp]], is known as yellow pine in [[New Zealand]]. It is a tight-grained, sweet-smelling, and extremely durable wood.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.conifers.org/po/Halocarpus_biformis.php|access-date=19 July 2017|title=Halocarpus biformis|publisher=The Gymnosperm Database}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Conifers]]
[[Category:Trees of Northern America]]
[[Category:Trees of New Zealand]]
[[Category:Wood]]