Shortleaf Pine - Pinus echinata

Pinaceae - Pine Family
"A Year With the Trees" - Tree Number 69
Shortleaf Pine Tree
Pinus echinata

Spring

Shortleaf Pine - Pinus echinata

This Shortleaf Pine lives in Cookeville, Tennessee.

The Shortleaf Pine provides habitat for birds and animals year round since it is an evergreen tree with new cones growing early in the spring and mature cones year round.

Summer

Shortleaf Pine

The Shortleaf Pine usually has two needles per bundle.  The needles are straight and 3-5 inches long.

The Shortleaf Pine tree provides valuable shelter and food for many different kinds of wildlife all year long.  Rabbits, birds, deer, and squirrels are just some of the wildlife that use the cover of this tree as their home. 

The Shortleaf Pine Tree

The Shortleaf pine has what is described as an open crown, and its needles are slender, flexible and not twisted.

This tree is compared to being confused at times with the Table Mtn. Pine, Pitch Pine and Virginia Pine. The differences being that the Table Mtn. Pine and Pitch Pine are said to have twisted needles that are coarse and not flexible, and the Virginia Pine has a irregular crown and is scraggly.

Fall 

Shortleaf Pine

Shortleaf Pine in Arkansas

Winter

 My favorite Shortleaf Pine Tree

Shortleaf Pine
This Short Leaf Pine Tree lives at the Asheville Botanical Gardens

The Champion Shortleaf Pine Trees

The American Champion Shortleaf Pine tree lived in Smith County, Texas.  It had a circumference of 154 inches and was 91 feet high.  It was reported that it died in 2017.  I could not find another one on their website.
http://www.americanforests.org/big-trees/shortleaf-pine-pinus-echinata-2/

The North Carolina champion lives in Bath, NC.  It has a circumference of 132 inches and is 86 feet tall.

For the love of the trees,
Becky

Pinus echinata