Florida Spruce Pine Pinus clausa
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- PY-nus KLAW-suh
- Description
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Sand Pine is an evergreen coniferous tree that grows in Florida and Alabama on strongly acidic sandy soils of the coast. It is an important part of the Florida scrub ecosystem and provides habitat for wildlife. This tree grows up to 65 ft tall, has dense spreading to ascending branches that are poorly self-pruning and a rounded to irregular crown. Because they grow in areas where hurricanes occur, they are often lean to one side. It is one of the shorter-lived pines, up to 60 years.
Insect, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This tree is susceptible to wind damage.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Pinus
- Species:
- clausa
- Family:
- Pinaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- It is used for pulp wood, making ship masts and as christmas trees.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- U.S.A., AL and FL
- Distribution:
- AL, FL
- Wildlife Value:
- This plant supports Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed. Provides cover for wildlife. Seeds are eaten by birds and small mammals.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Irregular
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Very Dry
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- 2-3.5 inch, armed with short stout prickles, reddish-brown to grey-brown oval pollen cone. Seed cones are red-brown.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Description:
- No flowers
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Needles
- Leaf Shape:
- Filiform
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- 2-4 inch yellow-green needles are 2 per fascicle with twisted margins that are finely serrated. The needles last 2-3 years.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Dark Gray
- Red/Burgundy
- Surface/Attachment:
- Patchy
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- Thin reddish brown to grey-brown smooth bark that eventually developing scaly patches. Gray to gray-brown, furrowed, with narrow, flat, irregular ridges, upper part of the trunk is red-brown platy and becoming smooth as it reaches the branches
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Buds:
- Scaly
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Spreading to ascending poor job of self-pruning. Purple to red-brown aging to gray and smooth. Buds are cylindric purple-brown with white fringed scales.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Landscape Theme:
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Attracts:
- Moths
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Heat
- Poor Soil
- Problems:
- Short-lived
