Trees in Utah

Fox Hills 4th Grade

Ponderosa Pine Douglas FirBlue SpruceUtah JuniperRocky Mountain Red CedarMost conifers, or softwoods, have narrow,

needlelike, evergreen leaves. Some conifers have small, short scale like evergreen leaves arranged in pairs or in threes.

Coniferous Trees(cone-bearing conifers)

Coniferous trees can be small bushes or one-hundred meter high redwoods.

Coniferous trees grow up instead of out and are of a triangular shape. The leaves can be long, pointy needles, or  small, flat scales. Seeds grow in cones.

Typical examples of conifers include cedars, Douglas-Firs, cypresses, firs, junipers, pines, redwoods, and spruces. 

The needles have a waxy coating that helps reduce moisture loss in cold weather. The narrow needles offer less surface area to the drying winds of winter. By keeping their leaves, conifers can quickly begin food production when the warm weather returns in the spring.  The firs have short needles with blunt tips. The spruces have four-sided needles that are very sharp. The pines have needles that grow in bunches, wrapped together at the base.

This is the most widely distributed and common pine in Utah. It goes by the names “Western Yellow Pine and “Blackjack Pine”. It is named for its ponderous or heavy wood.

Ponderosa Pines grow to be 60 to 150 feet high. They grow in pure strands forming large forests and frequently are mixed with spruce and fir.

The Utah variety has short needles and they come two in bundle. The cones are small. This valuable timber tree is the most commercially important western pine.

Ponderosa Pine

Pine needles

Cone-Bearing

Ponderosa Pine

The Utah Douglas Fir is a medium-sized to large tree with blunt needles resembling those of the spruce. The distinguishing characteristic of the Douglas Fir cone is the 3 pointed bract or little tongues protruding from the scale-like cones.

It is one of the world’s most important timber species. It is used as a veneer for plywood as well as lumber.

Douglas Fir

It is a very popular Christmas tree because of its beautiful shape.

Birds and mammals eat the seeds of the cones.

It was named after the Scottish botanical collector David Douglas. (1798-1834)

Douglas Fir

This tree is known also by the names “Colorado Spruce” and Silver spruce”.

Utah’s state tree. Spruces have sharp up-turned needles.The Blue spruce has blue-green foliage. It grows to be 70-100 feet high.It is a very popular Christmas tree and is

used extensively as an oriental tree.In Utah, it is planted as a shelter and

windbreak also.

Blue Spruce

Blue-ish upturned needles

Blue Spruce

It grows slowly, becoming craggier and more contorted with age.

Indians used the bark for cordage, sandals, woven bags, thatching, and matting.

They also ate the berries fresh or in cakes.Birds and small mammals also eat the

berries.Junipers are also called cedars, and Cedar

Breaks National Monument and Cedar City are named for this tree.

Utah Juniper

Utah Juniper

This tree is also knows as the “Rocky Mountain Juniper” and “River Jumper”.

It is a graceful ornamental ree.The aromatic wood is especially suited for

cedar chests and also used for lumber, fenceposts, shake shingles, and fuel.

Wildlife eat the berries.They are found throughout Utah and can be

distinquished from the Utah Juniper by their straight trunks.

Rocky Mountain Red Cedar

Cone bearing pine-treesCone bearing pine-treesConiferousConiferousChristmas trees and evergreenChristmas trees and evergreenConiferousConiferous

Coniferous Song(to the tune of Are You Sleeping)