Pine

Shore pines along the shorelines: TTL & WIL

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On a recent trip to the Oregon coast, I was impressed by the contorted shapes of shore pines along the shorelines. The scientific name of this tree is Pinus contorta var. contorta. It’s a very fitting name.

Some shore pines are barely attached to rocky cliffs. This common tree of the coast tolerates salt spray and a wide variety of soils.

High winds are common near the shorelines and they sculpt these lovely trees into interesting shapes.

Others grow in 40-50 foot tall forests, constantly buffeted by the wind.

These resilient trees have adapted to living in a challenging environment. They twist and turn in an effort to find the best ways to survive.

Thursday Tree Love

Whatsoever is Lovely Week 27

It’s a Boy! Pine tree: Thursday Tree Love

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I saw this “it’s a boy” pine tree along the trail to Big Tree, the largest ponderosa pine of its kind, in LaPine State Park, Oregon. I may have walked right past this odd tree, but I noticed two teenage boys laughing loudly and pointing at it. They took multiple pictures to share with their friends. Their reaction to it was almost as funny as the tree itself! 😀

Its a boy pine tree

Thursday Tree Love -122

Pines on pilings along Deschutes River Trail: TTL

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I saw these lodgepole pines on pilings next to a bridge crossing the Deschutes River. I was hiking the trail to Benham Falls but had to pause to marvel at these little trees. Trout swam around the pilings, providing a little extra fertilizer for this odd nursery.

Who knows why the trees settled there. They certainly found a nice piece of waterfront property with a view. 😉

pines on pilings

Thursday Tree Love – 114

Loop-de-loop lodgepole: Thursday Tree Love

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Loop-de-loop lodgepole

I saw this loop-de-loop lodgepole pine growing alongside Firehole Lake Drive in Yellowstone National Park. Everyone drove right past it but I had to stop and take its picture. I wondered what stopped it from going straight up. It figured out how to grow around obstacles and keep going in the right direction. A lesson for us all.

Thursday Tree Love

Pinecones in black and white: Monochrome Monday

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Pinecones in black and white

A collection of pinecones shown in black and white. These cones were found in the Lost Forest of Central Oregon, a remnant from another time.

Monochrome Monday

Frosty ponderosa pine pom-pom: MM & MM

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Frosty ponderosa pine

Close up view of a frosty ponderosa pine pom-pom in black and white.

Monochrome Monday

Macro Monday

Pine trees at Lava Lands: Thursday Tree Love

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Pine trees towering over an ancient lava flow at Lava Lands Visitor Center, in the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, Oregon. You can see South Sister and Broken Top in the distance.

Pine trees at Lava Lands, Oregon

The 0.4-mile Trail of the Whispering Pines winds its way through the forest near the visitor center. You get great views of pine trees, Lava Butte, and several nearby volcanoes. This path sits on part of Newberry Volcano, a 1,200-square mile shield volcano.

South Sister, pictured on the left above, is the youngest and most geologically active of the Three Sisters volcanoes. The mountain last erupted 2,000 years ago, but a “bulge” began forming in 1997. By 2001, the bulge grew to 9 inches in height and 10 miles in diameter. Its growth since that time has slowed considerably. Both South Sister and Newberry are regularly monitored for volcanic activity.

Thursday Tree Love

A decorated tree: Thursday Tree Love

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I saw this decorated tree near Sisters, Oregon. There was a nice contrast between the rough brown ponderosa pine bark and the delicate tufts of fluorescent green lichen.

A decorated tree October 2020

Thursday Tree Love

Another lovely lichen on the forest floor: Friday Fun

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Another lovely lichen

I saw another lovely lichen begging for me to photograph it. This fluorescent green lichen was on the forest floor in a ponderosa pine forest near Sisters, Oregon.

Friday Fun – Lichen

Pining for Ponderosa Pine: LAPC

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Ponderosa pine is a tree for the senses. These trees can grow as tall as 268 feet. Their bark turns an interesting shade of orange-red as they mature.

The branches twist and contort into interesting shapes as the tree ages.

Ponderosa pine tree 31May2019

The furrowed bark has been described as smelling like vanilla, butterscotch, or cinnamon. The bark looks like jigsaw puzzle pieces.

I love taking pictures of bark! See Silent Barks for a few more of my photos.

Ponderosa Pine bark
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Waiting for take off: Cooper’s hawk

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The Weekly Photo Challenge this week is Waiting.  This young Cooper’s hawk was checking out the scenery (and prey) before taking off.

Immature Cooper's hawk near Bend, Oregon 6Sept2015