Ponderosa Pine is the most widespread pine in North America, dominant from the Black Hills to the Pacific coast. Its bark smells of vanilla or butterscotch and turns orange-yellow in large plates as the tree ages. Open ponderosa pine forests support exceptional wildlife diversity, and its seeds are a key food for many birds and mammals.
Habitat
Dry mountain slopes and plateaus of western North America, 5,000–8,000 ft
Diet
Seeds eaten by Clark's nutcracker, Steller's jays, and squirrels
How common
Common
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