ponderosa pine

[ pon-duh-roh-suh, pon- ]

noun

1. Also called western yellow pine. a large pine, Pinus ponderosa, of western North America, having yellowish-brown bark: the state tree of Montana.
2. the light, soft wood of this tree, used for making furniture and in the construction of houses, ships, etc.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ponderosa pine¹

1875–80, Americanism; < New Latin Pinus ponderosa (1836) literally, heavy pine; ponderous

Example Sentences

During the day, when you aren’t out adventuring, you can find a shady spot beneath a towering ponderosa pine or cedar tree.

From Los Angeles Times

Peaks reaching more than a mile high form the backdrop to Bear Valley, a kaleidoscope of green pastures mixed with ponderosa pines, firs, cedars and oak trees.

From Los Angeles Times

Enjoy 10 miles of hiking trails and an accessible boardwalk amid ponderosa pine forests, grassland and exposed basalt cliffs.

From Seattle Times

Without any fire, the tree species mix shifted away from fire-tolerant species like ponderosa pine and Western larch to a greater abundance of less fire- and drought-tolerant species.

From Seattle Times

The team found that ponderosa pine trees grow at a faster rate at warmer locations.

From Science Daily