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In ecology and forestry, yellow pine refers to a number of
conifer Conifers are a group of cone-bearing seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a single extant class, Pinopsida. All ext ...
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 ''Pinus jeffreyi'', also known as Jeffrey pine, Jeffrey's pine, yellow pine and black pine, is a North American pine tree. It is mainly found in California, but also in the westernmost part of Nevada, southwestern Oregon, and northern Baja Califo ...
or ponderosa pine. In the Southeastern United States, yellow pine refers to longleaf pine,
shortleaf pine ''Pinus echinata'', the shortleaf pine, is a species of pine native to the southeastern United States. Description The tree is variable in form, sometimes straight, sometimes crooked, with an irregular crown. The tree reaches heights of with ...
, slash pine, or loblolly pine. In the United Kingdom, yellow pine refers to
eastern white pine ''Pinus strobus'', commonly called the eastern white pine, northern white pine, white pine, Weymouth pine (British), and soft pine is a large pine native to eastern North America. It occurs from Newfoundland, Canada west through the Great Lake ...
or Scots pine. In New Zealand, it refers to ''
Halocarpus biformis ''Halocarpus biformis'', known commonly as yellow pine or pink pine, is a coniferous tree endemic to New Zealand. The tree can attain heights of 10 m (33 ft), but is usually a low-spreading bush in open areas. It is found at higher elevations ...
''.


Western United States

The Jeffrey pine and the ponderosa pine are common in drier montane areas of the
Sierra Nevada The Sierra Nevada () is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primar ...
. 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 soils, in colder climates, and in drier climates, Jeffrey pine replaces ponderosa as the dominant tree (Jeffrey pine forest). Ponderosa pine-dominated forests ("Ponderosa pine forest") occur at elevations from about . Jeffrey pine-dominated forests occur mostly in
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
, from in the north, and in the south. The highest elevations are typically on the east side of the Sierra Nevada. "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. Ponderosa pine forests occurs on the
Colorado Plateau The Colorado Plateau, also known as the Colorado Plateau Province, is a physiographic and desert region of the Intermontane Plateaus, roughly centered on the Four Corners region of the southwestern United States. This province covers an area o ...
and in the
Sierra Nevada The Sierra Nevada () is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primar ...
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. Jeffrey pine wood and ponderosa pine wood are sold together as yellow pine. Both kinds of wood are hard (with a
Janka hardness The Janka hardness test (; ), created by Austrian-born American researcher Gabriel Janka (1864–1932), measures the resistance of a sample of wood to denting and wear. It measures the force required to embed an steel ball halfway into a sample ...
of ), but the western yellow pine wood is less dense than southern yellow pine wood ( versus for shortleaf pine).


Southern United States

In the
Southern United States The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, or simply the South) is a geographic and cultural region of the United States of America. It is between the Atlantic Ocean ...
, yellow pines can refer to one of the native species: loblolly, longleaf, shortleaf, or
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pines. These yellow pines grow very well in the acidic
red clay soil Ultisols, commonly known as red clay soils, are one of twelve soil orders in the United States Department of Agriculture soil taxonomy. The word "Ultisol" is derived from "ultimate", because Ultisols were seen as the ultimate product of continu ...
found in most of the region. The wood from the southern yellow pines typically has a density value between when pressure treated. Yellow pine grows across the South and Mid-Atlantic regions, from
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
to
New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...
.
Dimensional lumber Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, w ...
and
plywood Plywood is a material manufactured from thin layers or "plies" of wood veneer that are glued together with adjacent layers having their wood grain rotated up to 90 degrees to one another. It is an engineered wood from the family of manufactured ...
products manufactured from southern yellow pine are used extensively in home construction in the United States. They are also used for wooden
roller coaster A roller coaster, or rollercoaster, is a type of amusement ride that employs a form of elevated railroad track designed with tight turns, steep slopes, and sometimes inversions. Passengers ride along the track in open cars, and the rides are ...
s and are most used for
utility pole A utility pole is a column or post typically made out of wood used to support overhead power lines and various other public utilities, such as electrical cable, fiber optic cable, and related equipment such as transformers and street lights. I ...
s throughout the United States.


New Zealand

''
Halocarpus biformis ''Halocarpus biformis'', known commonly as yellow pine or pink pine, is a coniferous tree endemic to New Zealand. The tree can attain heights of 10 m (33 ft), but is usually a low-spreading bush in open areas. It is found at higher elevations ...
'', a species of podocarp, is known as yellow pine in
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island coun ...
. It is a tight-grained, sweet-smelling, and extremely durable wood.


References

{{reflist Conifers Trees of the United States Trees of New Zealand Wood