Saflax - Ponderosa Pine - Pinus ponderosa - 20 seeds - The tallest pine species with up to 30 cm long needles . With germ-free and air-permeable coconut fiber substrate for successful cultivation. Worth knowing: The fast-growing and frost-resistant Ponderosa Pine is considered the tallest pine species of the world and can become 500 years old. Its valuable heartwood is very heavy - that is where the name ponderosa (ponderous, weighty) comes from. The tree produces relatively big cones and its needles can become impressive 30 cm long. The crown is conical and keeps its slender and hastate shape even with old age. The strong bark of the Ponderosa Pine provides protection against smaller forest fires. In the USA, the tree is due to its yellowish heartwood of much economic importance. It is also the official state tree of the US state Montana.. Natural Place: The Ponderosa Pine comes originally from the Rocky Mountains in western North America and has spread from northern British Columbia until Mexico and to the East to the US states of Texas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Montana and Colorado. Only with the beginning of the 19th century the tree came to Europe, and even though it is frost-resistant in Europe, it is rarely found in parks. Cultivation: Seed propagation indoors is possible throughout the year. To increase the germinability, you should initially keep the seeds in the refrigerator for about a week - then place them for 12 to 24 hours in a bowl with lukewarm water for priming. After that, plant the seeds about 1 cm deep into moist potting compost and cover the seed container with clear film to prevent the earth from drying out. Don’t forget to make some holes in the clear film and take it every second or third day completely off for about 2 hours. That way you avoid mold formation on your potting compost. Place the seed container somewhere bright and warm with a temperature between 17°C and 23° Celsius and keep the earth moist, but not wet. Usually it takes two to three weeks until germination. The first seedlings will come up after four to ten weeks. Another two months later you can prick out the sprouts. Place: The Ponderosa Pine tolerates wind and needs a sunny place to grow. Care: The tree doesn’t need a special type of soil, it is quite resistant against pests and common plant diseases, and it can also endure longer dry periods. During Winter: The Ponderosa Pine is fully frost-hardy. Bonsai: Yes Picture credits: Because of technical limitations links are shown as text. 22947-pinus-ponderosa-seed-package-front-german.jpg - © Matt Lavin - CC-BY-SA-2.0 - creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0 12947-pinus-ponderosa-cultivation-instruction-german.jpg - Frank Laue - © Saflax - saflax.de/copyright 12947-44-Pinus-ponderosa.jpg - Matt Lavin - CC-BY-SA-2.0 - creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -