Pinus ponderosa 'The Sphinx' / The Sphinx ponderosa pine

Pinus ponderosa 'The Sphinx' is an upright to broadly pyramidal, dwarf selection of ponderosa pine with tight, uniform branching and shorter-than-typical, 4 inch (10 cm) long, grey-green needles. After 10 years of growth, a mature specimen will measure 40 inches (1 m) tall and wide, an annual growth rate of around 4 inches (10 cm).

This cultivar is one of many witch's broom selections made by Jerry Morris of Lakewood, Colorado. Like all cultivars in this species, 'The Sphinx' is well suited for small xeric gardens in the western states.

Pinus ponderosa 'The Sphinx' in a private garden in Petaluma, California.
Photo by David Olszyk

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