Plants

Sugar pine cones are generally 14-24 inches and can be seen hanging from the ends of the branches. The needles are fairly short, only 3-5 inches, and come in bundles of five. Sugar pines are found on the western side of the forest up to 7,500 feet in elevation. Sugar pines are important for their longevity, their wood, and their cones. 

A non-native blister rust has been decimating sugar pine groves of the Tahoe National Forest for many years. The Forest Service has identified rust resistant trees throughout the forest and collected the seeds from those cones to try to generate trees that will remain rust resistant so that the sugar pine will continue to flourish. 

Ponderosa pine is a very dominant species found in low to mid elevations on the west side of the forest. The cone is prickly and the 8 inch needles come in bundles of three. The bark is formed in a jigsaw puzzle pattern with the underside yellow, the reason why it is sometimes called “western yellow pine.” 

Jeffrey pine is similar to the ponderosa, with a few notable exceptions. The cones are slightly larger and not prickly when grasped with both hands, hence the phrase “Gentle Jeffrey or Prickly Ponderosa.” The bark of the Jeffrey pine often smells sweet like vanilla, butterscotch, or pineapple. The Jeffrey pine is often found at a higher elevation, and is more common on the east side of the forest. 

Incense cedar is a common conifer, found in both shade and sun and present in many areas of the Tahoe National Forest. The bark of the cedar is fibrous and appears shaggy. It has small cones that hold and release only two seeds. The branches are formed in flat sprays and are quite fragrant. 

Douglas fir are quite common below 6,000 feet elevation. Unlike pine with needles growing in bunches, the short needles of the Douglas fir grow signally off the length of the branch. Douglas fir needles are usually  1-2 inches long and encircle branches on all sides. The cones are reddish brown in color with small three pronged extensions amidst the bracts.

White fir has similar needles to Douglas fir, however they are flatter. The cones sit vertically on the top branches of the tree and fall apart to release their seeds. 

Red fir have similar cones as the White fir though slightly larger and the bark of the Red fir is a reddish brown color. The needles are shorter and are arranged in a similar manner. 

Aspen are found in high alpine meadows and along streams on the Tahoe National Forest. The bark of the Aspen is white and usually peels off in sheets. The bark was long ago used as paper. The flat round leaves are well known as they quake and quiver when the wind blows and become a brilliant yellow in the fall. 

Pacific dogwood prefers moist, but well-drained soils at low elevations and north facing slopes. A straight, smooth-barked trunk radiates tiers of ascending branches tipped by creamy flowers in May, that can blossom again in late summer and has crimson red leaves in the fall. 

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Common by stream banks and in canyons, the big leaf maple is easy to recognize from other trees because of their large leaves (8 to 12 inches across), with five deeply cut lobes. They can be seen growing on the west side of the Tahoe National Forest as high as 5,500 feet in elevation where they turn a pretty gold color in the fall. 

Black oak grows individually or in groves and usually each grove is one age-class, the result of profuse sprouting after a fire. Found from 1,000 to 3,500 feet in elevation. Their leaves are about 5 inches long, with 5-7 lobes, spiny leaf tips, and usually a dark yellow-green. The black oak and their acorns were used not only by the Native Americans for food, shelter, medicine, and many other uses, but also by the many animals that live in the forest. 

The Pacific madrone makes its home on the west side of the Tahoe National Forest in the mixed conifer zone. Madrones have oval leathery leaves and newer growth areas on the tree are characterized by the reddish brown papery bark peeling off or shredding. They can grow to be quite tall offering much shade beneath their canopy.