Pinus palustris Mill.

Longleaf Pine; Southern Pine

Tree

Perennial

Vascular

Longleaf Pine is a native evergreen needle-leafed tree in the Pine family (Pinaceae). It can be found in much of Alabama. Longleaf Pine occurs on the tops and upper slopes of ridges, in dry sandy or red clay uplands, in sandhills, and in pine flatwoods. It is a large tree reaching heights of 150 feet. The trunk is straight and the bark is orange-brown in color, flaking in scaly rectangular plates. The crown is rounded, often becoming flat topped with age. The branches are widely spaced and are often descending, with upcurved tips. Longleaf Pine is self-pruning, quickly losing the lower branches. Needle leaves occur in fascicles of 3. The leaves are 8-18 inches in length, straight to slightly twisted, and yellow-green in color. They are confined to areas near the tips of branches and surround the large silvery-white terminal buds. Pollen cones are about 1-3 inches in length and purple-brown in color. Seed cones are ovoid-cylindric in outline, 6-10 inches in length, red-brown in color, and with short stiff recurved prickles. The seed cones are nearly sessile, mature in 2 years, and quickly drop after releasing the seed. The seed are winged. The wood is dense, straight grained, and with few knots. It is a valued species for lumber, utility poles, pulpwood and naval stores. Longleaf Pine is unusual in that it spends the first 3-5 years of its life in a grass stage, with little vertical growth. During this period, it develops a large deep taproot. Once sufficient resources have been accumulated the stem rapidly elongates. Longleaf Pine is the state tree of Alabama. It is very fire dependent and was a major component of many ecosystems in Alabama. Due to fire suppression, over harvesting, and difficulties experienced in growing and planting seedlings on a commercial scale this species has disappeared from much of its former range.—A. Diamond.

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Native FACU+ (NWPL)

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