Loblolly Pine (2024)

FAQs

What is loblolly pine also known as? ›

Loblolly Pine, classified as a yellow pine (also known as hard pine, for its resinous, hard wood), grows rapidly and is a tree primarily planted in the southern United States, where it is grown and harvested for its lumber.

Scientifically speaking, the loblolly pine has female parts and male parts. The male parts produce that ubiquitous yellowish-green pollen that covers cars and driveways in early spring, and the female parts release the germinated seeds contained in cones that fall to the forest floor to yield new life.

The Southern Pine bark beetle has been a relentless killer of Loblolly Pines in the midsouth. Every year we remove more and more trees that have been killed by this pest.

Tiny pine seedlings can be plucked then added to salads. Making tea but the needles need to be chopped up into much smaller pieces. Fresh pine sap ready to be made into Native American glue.

Loblolly pine is one of the fastest growing pine trees ¹³ and can live to over 200 years 4, with the oldest known tree being 241 years old in South Carolina ⁵. Loblolly pine seeds were taken to space aboard Apollo 14 and later planted at the White House ³. Loblolly pine is an important tree for Bald Eagles ².

IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : Loblolly pine seeds are an important food source for birds and small mammals. More than 20 songbirds feed on loblolly pine seeds, and the seeds make up more than half the diet of the red crossbill.

The name loblolly comes from an Old English word meaning a thick gruel or porridge and was used in reference to wet, boggy, and muddy places. When European settlers first encountered loblolly pines in the New World, they tended to find them growing in low, wet areas.

Cones, which contain the tree's seeds, mature by the second October after flowering begins. Loblolly pines can live as long as 275 years.

Comments: Loblolly Pine is considered to be in the group of southern yellow pines, and shares many characteristics with other species of this group (Longleaf, Shortleaf, and Slash Pine) such as being: hard, dense, and possessing an excellent strength-to-weight ratio.

Loblolly pine as well as several of the most important upland hardwood species such as hickories, yellow-poplar, white oak, southern red oak, and black oak occur most frequently in Georgia on soil series from the Ultisol order.

Is loblolly pine a good tree? ›

Loblolly pine requires relatively little maintenance, since it self-prunes its lower branches as it grows taller. Adaptability to many soil conditions, including the occasional flooding, and a fast growth rate make loblolly pine a great tree for yards with room for the height and spread of a large species.

Pinus taeda, commonly known as loblolly pine, is one of several subtropical pines native to the Southeastern United States, from East Texas to Florida, and north to southern New Jersey. The wood industry classifies the species as a southern yellow pine.

The Torrey pine is the rarest native pine in the United States and, possibly, the rarest pine in the world. It only grows naturally in two places. One is here on Santa Rosa Island and the other is near San Diego.

The Great Basin Bristlecone Pine (Pinus longaeva) has been deemed the oldest tree in existence, reaching an age of over 5,000 years old. The bristlecone pine's success in living a long life can be attributed to the harsh conditions it lives in.

The story: In eastern California, a Great Basin bristlecone pine known as Methuselah has long been considered Earth's oldest living thing. According to tree-ring data, it is 4,853 years old — meaning that Methuselah was well established by time ancient Egyptians built the pyramids at Giza.

Distinguishing characteristics: Needles often smell like citrus fruit. It has a larger cone than shortleaf pine.

Consider using a backfire and burning during the dormant season when ambient temperature is less than 60 degrees F. Good atmospheric lift and moderate wind speeds (>10-15 mph) also favor dissipation of heat from the canopy. Even larger pines can be damaged by crown scorch if atmospheric conditions do not favor lift.

Mature Size: The loblolly pine grows to a height of 60-90' and a spread of 25-35' at maturity. Growth Rate:This tree grows at a fast rate, with height increases of more than 24" per year.

Loblolly pines are native to lowlands and swampy areas, and are named after the mudholes and mires they can be found in. As you might guess for a pine tree, the loblolly pine features both pine needles and pine cones.

Where is loblolly pine native? ›

The native range of loblolly pine extends through 14 States from southern New Jersey south to central Florida and west to eastern Texas.

In providing shelter and food for local wildlife, pine trees are extremely important to keeping the ecosystem balanced and in-check. The dense foliage works to provide protection from sun, inclement weather and predators that pose a threat to local wildlife populations.

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.

Loblolly pine has a tap root 4-5 feet in length during the early part of its development but eventually utilizes a network of lateral roots reaching 35 inches below the surface. This feature makes mature specimens wind throw resistant despite their height.

Unlike many other plants, the Loblolly pine does not enter full dormancy in winter, which means that it will continue growing, during the coldest months.

When the loblolly pine is planted, you should water it often at 1 to 2 inches per week. A mature tree does well with moist soil but not in standing water. Occasional, short-lasting flooding won't damage the tree, but excessive exposure will have a negative impact.

Of all the pine boards found in the lumber yard, the southern yellow pine may be the hardest. The longleaf variety is rated on the Janka hardness scale at 870, which compares to the hardest of woods, the black walnut, at a Janka rating of 1010.

Aleppo Pine (Pinus halepensis)

Aleppo pine, sometimes known as Jeruselum pine, is an extremely drought-resistant specimen that is a valuable landscape tree in hot climates, such as that of southern California. This pine tree is identified by its needles, which are a light yellowish-green.

1. Balsam Fir. The Balsam fir is the most fragrant of the trees, making it the most popular Christmas tree variety.

Loblolly pine should be grown in full sun on well-drained, acid soil. It is drought-tolerant once established.

What is the wood density of a loblolly pine tree? ›

For loblolly pine grown in North Carolina, USA, Antony et al. (2012) reported that 0.480 g cm⁻³ is a suitable value.

Unmanaged loblolly pine stands can take up to 50 years to mature into sawtimber-size trees. Managed stands can generate sawtimber-size trees much faster, often within 25 to 40 years depending on the manage- ment regime.

In fact, the loblolly pine often grows in areas where other trees cannot survive. It propagates easily from seed and can become invasive, especially in open or recently disturbed fields.

LOBLOLLY PINE | fast growing pole wood.

First thin trees will typically go for pulp. The revenue varies depending on market conditions, but as an example, if pine pulp prices are around $8 per ton, the landowner should receive around $400-$500 per acre depending on how heavy the thinning.

There are over 175 different types of pine trees. Several are native to Canada, but many more can be found within our borders as well.

Loblolly pine is a medium-lived tree. Maximum recorded age of one tree in a small stand of 20 trees in North Carolina was 245 years, with the group averaging 240 years.

Growing at a rate of up to two feet per year, the Loblolly Pine is popular among gardeners and landscapers for quick privacy.

Comments: Loblolly Pine is considered to be in the group of southern yellow pines, and shares many characteristics with other species of this group (Longleaf, Shortleaf, and Slash Pine) such as being: hard, dense, and possessing an excellent strength-to-weight ratio.

Where is loblolly pine native to? ›

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION : Loblolly pine is widely distributed in the southeastern United States from southern New Jersey to central Florida and west through the Gulf States to eastern Texas. It also occurs in southeastern Oklahoma, central Arkansas, and southern Tennessee.

Longleaf pine also produces poles, which is the highest valued timber product.