Pinus serotina Michx.

Pond Pine; Pocosin Pine; Marsh Pine

Tree

Perennial

Vascular

Pond Pine is a large native evergreen tree in the Pine family (Pinaceae). It is native to the southern third of Alabama. Pond Pine occurs in bogs, in seeps, in flatwoods, and around depression ponds. It is a large tree reaching heights of 60-80 feet. Plants sometimes have multiple trunks from sprouts after fire. The bark is thick, furrowed, with rectangular plate-like sections. The bark is reddish brown to gray in color. The twigs are stout and the needle-like leaves are clustered towards the tips. The needles are arranged in fascicles of 3. Needles are 6-8 inches in length, slightly twisted, yellowish green in color, with fine lines of stomates on all surfaces, and serrulate margins. Pollen cones are yellow-brown and 1-1.5 inches in length. The ovulate cones are ovoid to subglobose when un-opened and conic to ovoid when open. The ovulate cones are up to 3 ½ inches long, reddish brown to tan when young, fading to gray as they age. Many cones are serotinous-only opening to shed the seed after being exposed to high temperatures from fires. The seed are winged. Pond Pine is listed as an S1 species in Alabama (typically 5 or fewer occurrences, very few remaining individuals, acres, or miles of stream, or some factor of its biology making it especially vulnerable in the state).--A. Diamond

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Native FACW+ (NWPL) S1 (State Rank) G5 (Global Rank)

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