The Ponderosa has a knack for accessing and conserving moisture. Its deep taproots can reach down into the soil up to thirty feet to reach moisture! In one study by Carlos Bates in 1924, year-old seedlings had a height of three inches but developed taproots nearly twenty-four inches. 

The Ponderosa’s seedlings can withstand extreme dryness and high temperatures up to 162 degrees Fahrenheit at ground surface! This is why they can grow in rocky or sandy soils that dry out to deadly levels in the upper 24-36 inches with the only moisture found much further down. A Ponderosa’s stomata (leaf pores) can efficiently close, preventing water loss, which comes in handy during summer droughts.