Jeffrey Pine is a massive, long-lived tree of Sierra Nevada mountain slopes and southern Cascade ridges, closely related to ponderosa pine but growing at higher elevations. Its bark has a distinctive sweet vanilla or butterscotch scent on warm days, a reliable identification feature. Mule deer and chickadees benefit from its seeds and shelter.
Best time to see a Jeffrey Pine
The best time to see a Jeffrey Pine is April–August, when about 62% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 3,572 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Jeffrey Pine? What plant is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
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