What Are The Best Pine Trees for Idaho?

• Ponderosa pines thrive in Idaho. Design Pics/Valueline/Getty Images

  Several species of pine trees thrive in Idaho's climate, with native pines making some of the best options for planting in the garden or landscape. Gardeners need to think carefully about planting the trees in areas with limited space. Even the smallest pine trees suitable for Idaho landscapes reach more than 70 feet in height when mature. Besides adding beauty to the landscape, pine trees offer wildlife and birds important habitat and nesting areas.

Western White Pine

• The state tree of Idaho, the western white pine, grows in the Selkirk and Bitterroot Mountains. In Idaho's panhandle, the trees reach up to 200 feet in height. The slow-growing tree produces wood that's prized for its lumber. Logging, blister rust and pine beetles have reduced the number of western white pines growing naturally in Idaho. The tall, upright tree features bluish-green needles that grow in groups of five. The tree produces long, cylindrical cones ranging in size from 5 to 12 inches in length.

Ponderosa Pine

• Ponderosa pine, also known as silver pine and yellow pine, grows in much of the western United States, including areas of northern and central Idaho. The tree makes a great choice for sunny areas at the state's lower elevations. Uses for the tree include timber production. Wildlife also rely on the tree as valuable habitat, particularly the squirrels and birds that use the branches for nesting and roosting. The fast-growing pine tree works well to help control erosion, making it ideal as a windbreak species. Ponderosa pine grows up to 150 feet in height, often living to 600 years of age. As the tree matures, the bottom half of the trunk loses all of its branches. Flowering occurs from April to June, with cones maturing in August and September of the following year.

Lodgepole Pine

• Lodgepole pine thrives in almost any climatic condition Idaho experiences except for the hottest areas. The pine covers 2.3 million acres in the state's forests, according to the Idaho Forest Product Commission, but mountain pine beetles, dwarf mistletoe tree and fire affect its growth and development. In the garden or landscape, the tree grows in almost any soil condition and at most elevations. The pine thrives in full sun where it grows up to 70 feet in height with a trunk that eventually reaches 2 feet in diameter. The tree produces 1- to 2-inch cones with stiff prickles. The scaly bark of the tree ranges in color from black to straw-colored. Native Americans used the lodgepole pine for teepee supports and building materials. Today, the wood is used for lumber, fencing, railroad ties and logs for building homes.