Pinus palustris
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Longleaf Pine
Pinaceae
Plant Specifics
| Form: | Tree | |
| Size: | To 120 ft tall by 30-50 ft wide | |
| Life Span: | Long-lived perennial | |
| Flower Color: | NA | |
| Fruit Color: | Brown | |
| Phenology: | Evergreen. Young pines have an extended grass stage and then shoot up rapidly. Cones produced in spring, wind pollinated, and mature into fall. Long-lived: 200+ years. | |
| Noted for: | Hurricane wind resistance |
Landscaping
| Recommended Uses: | Shade tree. Woodland tree. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Considerations: | Huge pine cones litter the ground, so not a good tree for a lawn. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Propagation: | Seed. Has a multi-year grass phase. Can be acquired from nurseries after grass phase has been completed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Availability: | Native nurseries, FNPS plant sales, Quality nurseries, Seed, Specialty providers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Light: | Full Sun, Part Shade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: |
always floodedextremely dry |
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| (Somewhat moist, no flooding ----- to ----- Very long very dry periods) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: | Somewhat moist, no flooding ----- to ----- Very long very dry periods | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Water Flooding Tolerance: | Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance: | Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil or other substrate: | Clay, Loam, Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil pH: | Acidic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ecology
| Wildlife: |
Known for its use by squirrels, especially fox squirrels. Birds also eat the nuts. Old trees in well managed (properly burned) natural sandhill and flatwoods settings are used as cavity trees by red-cockaded woodpeckers. Often used by perching raptors. Bald eagles frequently nest in the upper crown. | |
| Insects: | ||
| Native Habitats: | Sandhill, mesic to dry flatwoods. |
Distribution and Planting Zones
Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones
Suitable to grow in:
8A 8B 9A 9B
USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures
Comments
| Ethnobotany: | Most natural longleaf pine forests were cut for timber. | |
| General Comments: | Highly tolerant of fire once established. |