Chief Joseph Lodgepole Pine (Pinus contorta ‘Chief Joseph’)

What a stunner! This gorgeous dwarf conifer gives amazing fall color without ever losing its leaves! The Chief Joseph Lodgepole Pine boasts lovely, light-green needles that grow in compact bundles throughout the warmer times of year. However, when the weather begins to cool, in autumn, a stunning show begins! The needles morph into a glowing golden and yellow display that lasts throughout the winter! When spring arrives again, the leaves change back into light green for the duration of the summer. What a magnificent treat!

Chief Joseph is small and manageable, growing only a foot per year (at the most), usually reaching a mature height of 6-8 feet. It grows naturally in the mountains of eastern Oregon so, while it is technically a Northwest native, it does prefer drier climates. Just take care not to overwater your pine and that it’s planted in well-drained soil.

Plant these beacons of light throughout your garden, to light up the gray days of winter. They also do well in containers; place a few near your porch to welcome visitors in from the cold!

Call for availability before getting your heart set on this plant, though. They are generally pretty rare and hard to find. In fact, we can usually only get one at the nursery at a time!

Sunlight requirement: partial to full sun

Watering needs: minimal, once established

Soil conditions: prefers well-drained soil

Please call us at the nursery to check for availability: (206) 878-8761