Loblolly Pine - Pinus taeda

 The Loblolly Pine - Pinus taeda -  is a large evergreen tree that can reach heights of 80-100 feet in height.   It is commonly found growing in the Western United States and Canada but is native to the Southeastern United States from Central Florida on North.  It grows in a straight tall fashion with a short spread crown.  It is most commonly found from floodplains and roadsides to well drained hillsides.  Its trunk diameter can reach a very large 6+ feet and it is considered to be a very important timber tree.  The lumber is used for construction, interior finishing, craft wood, paper/pulp production, railroad ties and pilings. The name Loblolly comes from the southern term for the moist hollows or depressions that this particular tree is partial to.

Image Citation:  David Stephens, Bugwood.org

The needles are stiff and sharp tipped, pale green in in clusters of three.  The needles are generally six to nine inches long and yellow-green in color and grow in an almost tufted appearance near the edges of the branches.  The bark is cinnamon colored and appears in scaly plates.  The cones are three-six inches long, reddish brown in color and egg shaped.   The seeds are about 1 inch in size, black-brown in color and rhomboidal winged.  The flowers are monoecious and yellow in color, they appear between May-June depending on the region.  

Image Citation:  Brian Lockhart, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

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