
Mixed coniferous forest

Mixed coniferous forest is a vegetation type dominated by a mixture of broadleaf trees and conifers. It is generally located in mountains, below the upper montane vegetation type.
Sierra Nevada range.
In the Sierra Nevada mountain range of the western United States, the mixed coniferous forest is found at elevations of in the north, in central areas, and in the south. Characteristic conifers include Ponderosa Pine ("Pinus ponderosa"), Sugar Pine ("Pinus lambertiana"), Incense Cedar ("Calocedrus decurrens"), White Fir ("Abies concolor"), Douglas Fir ("Pseudotsuga menziesii"), and Giant Sequoias ("Sequoiadendron giganteum") in pockets. Characteristic broadleaved trees include Black Oak ("Quercus kelloggii"), and understory trees and shrubs, including Canyon Live Oak ("Quercus chrysolepis"), Dogwood ("Cornus" spp.), Mountain Misery ("Chamaebatia foliolosa"), and Manzanitas ("Arctostaphylos" spp.). Precipitation in areas of this vegetation type is , much of this falling as snow. Growing season is about seven months, in areas with summer high temperatures of , and winter lows of .