Oldfield Pine Pinus taeda
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- PY-nus TAY-duh
- Description
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Loblolly Pine is an evergreen gymnosperm tree that may grow 60 to 90 feet tall. It is loosely pyramidal in youth and develops a dense oval crown at maturity as it loses its lower branches. The straight trunk can grow 2-3 feet thick. The tree has 5- to 8-inch slender needles in clusters of 3, rarely 2 or 4. As the tree ages, the bark thickens forming irregular, flaky plates that reveal a dark chocolate color when removed. In spring, red to yellow male flowers and yellow to purple female flowers mature in clusters.
The Loblolly Pine will grow in medium to wet soils in full sun and prefers moist, acidic soils with poor drainage but will tolerate alkaline soils. It performs best in climates with hot and humid summers and mild winters. It sometimes grows in pure stands and commonly spreads into old fields by self-seeding. It has the most rapid growth rate of all pines.
This is an important timber tree whose wood is used for pulp, plywood, and general construction. Its wood value and rapid growth lend its use towards forest management.
The tree has three needles per fascicle. Books commonly cite needles occasionally in twos, although this has never been seen at NC State. This plant is confused with slash pine with needles in threes and twos, and literature data could possibly come from a misidentification in the past. Loblolly has twigs with tufts of needles at the apex. If one holds a Loblolly cone in their hand, grasps tightly and squeezes, the recurved spine of Loblolly drives into the skin. This is a common tree in plantations grown for paper pulp. It is often seen in subdivisions with homes built around these pines. This tree is good for fast screening when it is young and is easily transplanted from containers.
Fire Risk: This plant has a high flammability rating and should not be planted within the defensible space of your home. Select plants with a low flammability rating for the sites nearest your home.
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Southern pine beetle and pine engraver beetle. Fusiform rust and rots may occur. This tree is susceptible to wind damage.
Quick ID Hints:
- Pine tree with tall, straight trunk
- Needles are medium length and in threes
- Twig apices are powder-puffed with fascicles, bare below
- Cones are persisting, sharp-pointed, recurved umbel
VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Garden Treasures Asian Garden- Japanese Woodland Backyard Garden Walk
- Cultivars / Varieties:
- 'Nana'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
- 'Nana'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Pinus
- Species:
- taeda
- Family:
- Pinaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Native Americans used this tree for its lumber. They would use the lumber for carving and in building canoes.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Southeastern United States
- Fire Risk Rating:
- high flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- It provides winter cover. 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. This plant also supports Eastern Pine Elfin (Callophrys niphon) which have one flight from March-June. Squirrels and birds eat the seeds.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Edible fruit
- Wildlife Cover/Habitat
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- This tree is moderately resistant to damage from deer.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 60 ft. 0 in. - 90 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 20 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Horizontal
- Pyramidal
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- more than 60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Length:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- The stalkless, ovoid-cylindrical to narrow conical cones (3-6” long) with sharply-spined scales appear in groups of 1-3. They release their seeds from fall to winter and stay on the tree for a year before dropping. They are rusty-brown, umbo dorsal and bearing a recurved spine. Smaller pollen cones are yellow-brown in groups of 6-12. Fruit displays from October to November.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- In the spring, the loblolly pine has red to yellow male flowers and yellow to purple female flowers. Flowers bloom from March to April.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Prickly
- Leaf Type:
- Needles
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Other/more complex
- Leaf Shape:
- Acicular
- Leaf Margin:
- Denticulate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Dark yellow-green needles ( 3 per fascicle) in bundles of three 6"-10" long with 1" long sheaths and are clustered on dwarf shoots. They are finely-toothed, stiff and slender. They drop during the tree's third year.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Dark Gray
- Red/Burgundy
- Surface/Attachment:
- Peeling
- Ridges
- Shredding
- Bark Plate Shape:
- Irregular
- Bark Description:
- Red to grey brown scaly young bark and red-brown furrowed rounded scaly plates with maturity. The plates are broad and flat.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Stems are erect, straight, tall, bearing branches typically above one's head. Young twigs quickly abort fascicles except at apex. The upper branches tend to curve upwards while the lower branches droop, eventually falling off the tree as it ages.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Recreational Play Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Children's Garden
- Edible Garden
- Native Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Rain Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Mass Planting
- Screen/Privacy
- Attracts:
- Moths
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Wet Soil
